Dipper's Birthday Rumble 2
by ddp456
Summary: After the events of Boyz Crazy, Dipper Pines tries to mend his broken relationship with Wendy Corduroy. Meanwhile, a new villain emerges from the digital universe in hopes of taking over the real world. Can our heroes come together to triumph over their latest foe before it's too late? Thanks to Tigerblack62 for the cover art! Please leave as many comments/reviews/etc as possible!
1. Prologue

In a faraway and distant land, black clouds swarmed against a magenta sky-drop for miles on end, creating a perpetual world of eternal darkness. The rolling, ear-piercing thunder accompanying the vapors blocked out any other sound nearby. No light shined through to the earth, except for that given by the rapid lightning bolts flashing throughout the atmosphere.

From a ledge atop an ancient, yet fortified castle, a lone figure stood silently, deep in thought as he stared at the purple-colored mountains in the distance. Dressed in reflective, bulky, gray-blue armor, his draping maroon cape gently waved as the cold and unforgiving winds brushed against his stature. The coal and royal-colored, triple-horned helmet concealing his identity reflected the glimmer of the lightning. His metallic-clear eyes, surrounded by appeared to be tears of blood, surveyed the territory he ruled with a literal-armored fist. And yet, his devious thirst was not quenched.

Instead of feeling a twisted sort of pride or worth for his wicked actions, the dark figure found only contempt upon viewing his ill-gotten kingdom. Within the deepest corners of his corrupted heart, he knew the truth: his world would always pale in comparison to _theirs_. His world was bound by the limitations that eight megabytes could provide. Every day, in despite of his glorious power, it was destiny that things would always remain the same, no matter what actions were taken. Evil would rise, only to be wary that the forces of good would send a champion to overtake his kind. This was the way of his world; his universe; to go against this would defy the unbreakable rules of physics that "the coders" bestowed upon his sort.

But in _their_ world, there were no such limits. There were new places to conqueror, and natural wonders to exploit and destroy. There were various and diverse types of people, all waiting to be made into his loyal servants, as were the occupants of his current home. More importantly, _their_ world held the greatest possibility; one that would make his efforts all worthwhile: _evil could triumph unquestionably_!

From out of the darkness, a nimble figure, garbed in brown and jungle green, fell from the sky, only to safely land on his feet yards away from the monstrous being. Almost immediately, the ninja sunk to one knee, and lowered his head to his master. Without acknowledging the arrival of his spy, the sovereign continued to gaze into the distance as he addressed his servant,

"What news do you bring?"

The warrior held his arm tightly against his chest, "The King of Thieves has been defeated…"

His dark-hued owner scoffed in disgust, "Just as I thought…" After a moment to contemplate the announcement, he asked his slave, "What about the children?"

"They know nothing…_yet_…"

A glimmer shone from the evil man's red-stained mask, "Good." He dictated further to his avatar, "Continue the plan…"

The camouflaged-colored combatant became concerned, "What shall we do about the children, sire?"

"Nothing," the despot responded, "There is no further need for them. At least, not for now…"

The cold-inhuman eyes lit up as a wicked idea came to mind. Turning around slightly, a metal-plated arm appeared from within the flowing cloak. Seconds later, electric sparks came forth from his fingertips, only to crash violently on the stone floor, meters away from the hailing combatant.

Remaining ever-so-still, the loyal fighter watched in awe as two structures rose up from the stone. As they started to take shape, both cried out in pain at the sensation of being born. The leftmost creature stretched upwards, forming a lanky and extremely tall figure. A bundle of thick, messy hair draped down its backside. To its left, another being spewed forth from the ashes. It rose to half the size of its companion. Its body filled out, resembling something a bit chunkier and stubbier than of that of its counterpart. A pointed tip seemingly grew from its forehead.

Once they had finished growing and all detailing was complete, the duo fell to their knees next to the ninja in order to pay their creator his proper dues. Without a single word being said, they already knew what was to be asked of them, and their role in the grand scheme about to be played out before them.

Somewhat stunned and terrified by the sights before him, the servant went to ask his leader what had just transpired, only to be answered before he could even open his mouth.

"During their previous stay, the children had left their mark on our world. They fought, sweat, bled, and even _loved_ while in our grasp. Because of this, their coding or "DNA" as they call it, can be easily recalled, recreated, and manipulated in any way I may desire…"

The two slightly raised their heads, each flashing a wicked smile. The small sign reassured their maker to where their loyalties lied.

"It is as I said before. We shall do nothing to stop them because they shall be the key to their own undoing!" He returned his attention to the ghastly sights outside of his balcony.

"Follow the plan exactly. Now, go!"

All three tilted their heads and pledged, "Yes, sire!" Simultaneously, the group leapt into the air and onwards towards their destination.

Finding himself alone once more, the tyrant's mind began to race as his greedy ambitions came closer and closer to reality. As if it was corresponding to his depraved emotions, the storm increased in velocity.

"…The time shall come…"

*KRAK!*

"When the gates leading into the next world are cast fully opened…"

*KRAK!*

"The bond that unites the guardians shall be broken apart…"

*KRAK!*"

"My armies will lead the way to my glorious second coming…"

*KRAK!*

"All in the physical and digital worlds shall kneel before me…"

*KRAK!*

"All shall hail me, the Emperor of Darkness, as their new master!"

The brute threw his head back and let out a haunting, echoing laugh, "HA, HA, HA, HA…." The horrific sound penetrated the constant thundering, and through every aspect of the fallen plane…


	2. Chapter 1

_"Oh, afterglow, look out below; we left a trail of dust behind.  
>As we parted ways, she held my gaze, and left an imprint on my mind.<br>I tried not to cry as we said goodbye, and hung the clouds above my town,  
>but I shed a tear when she disappeared, 'cause now I'm a stranger on the ground."<em>

"Sunburn," by Owl City

**Chapter 1 – The Calm Before the Storm**

"HAHAHAHA!"

Dipper Pines lowered his head as he once more found himself to be the source of instant humiliation. He hurried though the onlookers, not daring to take a second glance back at the gathering mocking his current predicament. As soon as he sped pass the small crowd, he looked up and continued forward on his journey.

Despite his awkward situation, Dipper couldn't blame the bystanders for their reaction. The teen figured that if the situation was reversed – and he happened to catch some poor sap stuck like _this_, he'd probably laugh at their misfortune as well.

His tiny body ached and throbbed with every inch traveled, but the prize hoisted right in front of him was a constant reminder that all of his pain and suffering would be well worth the effort.

He had searched far and wide for the object of his affections – or to be more specific, _her affections_. Dipper's quest to seek _it_ out had left him empty-handed in his summer-time home of Gravity Falls, Oregon. After a day of calling around, the determined twelve year had finally found his answer…_two towns over._

Deeming the task to be too far to partake by foot, Dipper pleaded with any of his friends and family (especially those with valid driver's licenses) to help him, only to be told that the trip was too far out of their way.

Left without any other option, the tween desperately consulted with his twin sister, Mabel, in hopes of finding a solution to his problem. The petite girl draped in an oversized sweater leapt off of the worn out sofa in the parlor of the Mystery Shack and ran out the door. Dipper followed suit, becoming somewhat weary by what answer Mabel had come up with.

When he finally caught up, Dipper saw that his sister had gone around to the back of the dilapidated cabin, and with a swing of her arms, she proudly presented the key to his salvation, "TA-DA!"

Dipper stared at his metal-mouthed sibling in disbelief, "You…You've got to be kidding me, right?"

Her smile vanished as she placed his hands on her hips, "Well, do _you_ have any better ideas?"

Faced with the awful truth, Dipper could only hang his head and sigh…

Seeing that there wasn't any other choice, he walked pass Mabel and hopped onto her prized pinkish-purple bicycle. As Dipper gripped the handles, he quickly let go as the tassels dangling from each side had gotten caught within his stubby fingers.

He glared down to see the beige, flower-stamped wicker basket fastened to the front of the bike. "Well," Dipper looked on the positive side, "At least I don't have to balance _it_ on my legs on the way back…"

As Dipper was about to set off on his course, Mabel heaved a heavy, solid object into her twin's chest. His sights shot down as it landed into his arms, "What is this…WHAT?! No way, Mabel! I can't use _this_!"

"Don't be such a baby, Dipper!" Mabel commented, "You have to wear _something_! If not, the cops are going to pull you over! Besides, what happens if an accident happens and you get hurt…?"

Growing somewhat annoyed by the ever-changing terms that fate tossed his way, Dipper removed his trademark blue and white pine tree trucker cap and strapped Mabel's sticker-covered pink helmet onto his head.

Finally ready to leave towards his destination, Dipper peddled his way towards the edge of town (in hopes of avoiding being seen by any of the townsfolk) and proceeded onwards in his expedition. For almost _three strenuous hours_, he followed the directions the man over the phone gave him, braving seedy side roads, seemingly ever-lasting overpasses, as well as the occasional, ignorant, local huckster poking fun: "Whatcha' doing there, boy? That there's a _girl's_ bike!"

At long last, Dipper had arrived. He slumped against the handlebars to catch his breath as his brown eyes scanned the scenery. Countless stands and tents stood anchored firmly to the ground. The smell of sweetened, greasy food filled the atmosphere, quickly invading the starving young adult's nostrils. Numerous rides towered above his small stature as they spun happy customers 'round and 'round until they reached the verge of nausea.

It had taken Dipper days to find them, but he had tracked down the organization that had set up his Grunkle Stan's Mystery Fair earlier that summer. Still resting on Mabel's bicycle, Dipper scanned the newly established carnival until he found his goal. With renewed strength, he hopped off the bike and walked into the establishment with it in hand.

A sense of déjà vu quickly overcame Dipper as he noted the row of familiar looking inter-species plushies placed above a nearby booth. As if he was haunted by a ghost, the voice of his crush echoed through the back of his mind:

_"I don't know if it's a duck or a panda, but I want one!"_

Dipper forced himself to push the nostalgia from his thoughts. The last thing that he needed was to have history repeat itself. With a bit of gusto in his step, Dipper walked up to the counter and ruffled through his pockets in order to pay the fare.

The all-too-familiar carnie batted an eye at the exhausted lad, "Say, haven't I seen you before?"

Too exhausted to reply, Dipper panted breathlessly as the man went on with his story, "You remind me of a boy that I saw when we did a gig a few towns over. The lil' runt was trying to win one of these dolls for this pretty little thing at his side. It was a peculiar sight. The fella was about half her size; a bit bigger than one of these plushes…"

"I –Imagine that…"

"Instead, he ended up giving his lass a black eye!" The elder shook his head, "Poor kid; had to be the worst case of _dangerous lumber_ I've seen in my life!"

Fed up with having his mistakes constantly thrown in his face, Dipper stepped up to the plate and threw a dollar down on the chipped, wooden finish. "One, please…"

After being handed the baseball, Dipper effortlessly hurled it through the stack of bottles at the other end of the display, making them clink loudly onto the ground. The barker was befuddled at the behavior of the child before him. Most of his customers would go into a frenzy upon winning one of his cheap wares, and yet, here this boy was, merely standing there as if _he had done this a million times before_.

"Congrat –"

"Can I just get the panda-duck, please?"

The man surrendered his prize without saying another word. Having the toy clutched tightly against his chest, Dipper quickly bowed his head and thanked the operator before retreating back into the crowd. The worker scratched his head at the sight of the disappearing adolescent, before setting his vision on new, approaching customers.

With his goal finally accomplished, Dipper loaded the stuffed creature of indeterminate species into the basket on Mabel's bicycle. He checked his watch to see that it was a few minutes after twelve-noon. If he was to leave this second, there was still a chance he would be able to make it back to the Mystery Shack before Wendy started her afternoon shift.

Hopping back on the somewhat-embarrassing bike, Dipper huffed and puffed back the way he came. The sun, now fully raised overhead, beamed down on the pint-sized traveler, making him sweat out of every orifice of his body.

After going on for what seemed like forever, Dipper felt a sense of relief as he flew past a nearby billboard:

"WELCOME TO GRAVITY FALLS!"

Dipper let out a heavy sigh, hoping that with a little bit of luck, everything would be over with, and back to normal in a couple of hours. Lost in his thoughts, he ignored the gawking townspeople and turned into Main Street. Dipper didn't care if random strangers were laughing at him anymore. The only thing that mattered was that he was going to do whatever it took to make things right with _her_. He slammed on the brakes as he passed the Gravity Falls Arcade. Just seeing the run-down establishment lifted some weight from his shoulders as It brought back somewhat happier (albeit, crazier) memories.

A few weeks before, he had celebrated his thirteenth birthday (alongside his twin sister, Mabel). That morning, Dipper had found a note sent by a mysterious admirer inviting him to the arcade. At first, he was incredibly nervous to set foot in the game room. It had only been a few days since he had accidentally released the video game warrior, Rumble McSkirmish, from the digital realm and deceived him into becoming his personal bodyguard. When the truth was finally exposed, Dipper received the beating of a lifetime before the crazed brute was returned back from whence he came.

The absolute last thing that Dipper wanted was to have a repeat of that day…

However, it turned out that his aficionado was none other than Wendy Corduroy, the tall, lanky, gingered cashier girl that Dipper had fallen head over heels for. Much to his surprise, the teenaged lumberjack had secretly plotted to give her pal the best birthday gift that she could think of: a relaxing day of just the two of them hanging out and having fun! She had even gone through the trouble of baking him a personalized chocolate birthday cake complete with a "13" candle lit on top!

The duo spent countless hours breaking the current high scores and playfully competed by one another. It had been the moment with his main squeeze that Dipper had always hoped for. Unfortunately, the second the usually-paranoid detective let his defenses down, tragedy struck.

Once again, Rumble had broken through to the real world and abducted Wendy, believing her to be Dipper's "freckled-face princess." He challenged Dipper to enter _his_ dimension and find his crush before she was trapped there forever. Without a second thought, the brave lad dove through to the other universe, traveling from gaming world to gaming world in search of his friend.

At the same time, Wendy had escaped from Rumble's clutches and set off to find Dipper before he walked into the villain's trap. Together, the twosome faced off against several evil forces (including Wendy's gothic boyfriend, Robbie V., who had teamed up with Rumble due to their shared hatred for the twelve-year old) before finally reuniting.

It was also then that Dipper's greatest secret came to light, prompting Wendy to have a talk with her "little hero." While she admitted that she cared for him as he did for her, both adolescents acknowledged that there were several factors that kept them from being a "bona-fide couple." Nevertheless, to Wendy and Dipper, such a detail was dismal. The whole experience had only strengthen their bond and succeeded in bringing them closer together.

Upon discovering the way home, the pair awoke in each other's arms back in the real world, much to the shock of Mabel and Robbie. Much to Dipper's dismay, they claimed that the adventure was nothing but a magnificent dream. He tried his best to convince Wendy otherwise, but left without any evidence of their journey, she had to take the word of her co-worker and her boyfriend.

Before they parted ways, Wendy had made a promise to her young charge: even if everything she had gone through was merely a fantasy, she would never forget what had occurred between them that day…

Dipper took one last look at the Arcade before he continued back towards home. As he thought about the situation more, a brightened smile, the first he had _in days_, had spread across his face! In spite of the unusual circumstance, Wendy had _indeed_ kept her word. He had officially become her genuine partner in crime, being included in nearly all of the girl's misadventures. It had gotten to the point that Wendy was hanging out with Dipper almost as much as any of her High School friends; something that the grateful tween truly appreciated with all of his heart.

He sighed in despair at the mere thought of _having all that he treasured possibly ruined forever_…

As he left the center of town, making his way towards Stan's Mystery Shack nestled deep within the Gravity Falls Woods, Dipper took notice of the gorgeous and majestic mountainside in the distance. Furthermore, one particular spot caught his eye, making a surge of bitterness rise up from within his small frame.

"_Lookout Point_…" Dipper scoffed. The mere mention of that place made him think about how this whole mess started in the first place. Earlier in the week, Dipper and Wendy were amusing themselves by creating hilarious voice-overs to the Gift Shop's security feed when Robbie walked in. The older teen invited his girlfriend to a small gathering on the cliffside, when Wendy exploded over being stood up the night before.

As the couple started to argue, Dipper retreated to the Mystery Shack's front room, only to eavesdrop from the other side of the door. He watched with glee as the furious redhead was seconds away from breaking up with his despised rival. At the last minute, the creepy pseudo-musician pulled a mysterious black-bottomed CD from a case shaped like the Necronomicon ex Mortis – _the Book of the Dead_ – and proceeded to serenade his peeved beau.

Dipper raised an eyebrow as he noticed something changed within his beloved friend. The anger and rage had disappeared from Wendy's freckled face, only to be replaced with a wide-eyed and mystified look. She shook her head and rubbed her emerald eyes, as if she had just awakened from a long slumber. A moment later, all was seemingly forgiven, and Wendy agreed to Robbie's request, sealing the deal with a kiss on his pocked-filled cheek, making Dipper's mouth drop in disgust.

Determined to find out what happened to his main squeeze, Dipper spent the entire day analyzing the strange disk, trying his best to learn the secret within. After successfully converting the track to old-fashioned vinyl record, the small detective was left unsure on where to take his research next, until Robbie V. himself unwittingly gave Dipper a clue; by playing the track backwards, he discovered that a hypnotic message was hidden alongside the cheesy rock-ballad.

At first, Dipper rejoiced at exposing the secret behind the song until he came to a horrific realization: Wendy had been mesmerized by the tune and was now in the clutches of his deceptive nemesis. Without a moment's notice, he flew out the door, and aided by his great-uncle, raced to the rescue.

After an hour of endless searching, Dipper finally spotted Robbie's rustic van parked all alone by the hillside (contrary to what he told Wendy earlier). With the velocity of a madman, his Grunkle Stan drove up the knoll, nearly wrecking his beloved, cherry-red "Stanley Mobile" in the process. Dipper rushed from the classic jalopy to his crush's side, presenting her with every piece of evidence he had uncovered.

Wendy instantly changed from shocked and surprised to disgusted and outraged. She turned towards her boyfriend, demanding to know the truth behind Dipper's claims. When all was said and done, the ginger dumped the constantly-fibbing goth, not because he had tried to use magic to warp her mind, but simply because the song Robbie had claimed to written for her wasn't truly hers!

Dipper cheered beside Stan (who lived vicariously through his nephew's efforts) as at long last, Robbie was exposed as the treacherous sneak he truly was. However, as Wendy walked away from the chaos, the hero chased after his damsel, offering to take her out for a game of bowling to put the ugliness behind them, _acting as if nothing important had just happened_.

Wendy turned around and let all heck break loose, shouting to the top of her lungs that her younger counterpart was just as self-centered and ignorant as her ex. Being the very last thing he ever expected, Dipper stood motionless like a deer caught in headlights as she persisted with her tirade. As soon as Wendy finished speaking her mind, she quickly covered her tear-filled green eyes and quickly disappeared into the darkness of the neighboring woods.

Dipper wanted to give chase after his heartbroken counterpart, but stopped in his tracks, figuring that _anything_ he could say would possibly make things even worse. Later that night, Dipper sat alone with his thoughts, wondering to himself if he had done the right thing. Seeing the troubled youth, Stan joined him, offering to share an ice-cold six pack of Pitt Cola.

He confessed his thoughts to the old man, "…she probably hates me now…"

"Ah, chin up, kid!" Stan encouraged, taking a long swig of his beverage, "You were tryin' to do the right thing; even though you destroyed a relationship and part of my car…"

"You think she'll ever forgive me?"

"Ah, I bet she will…"

Dipper lowered his head as his mind became plagued by endless doubt, ensuring that he wouldn't get a good night's sleep. The next morning, the Pines twins were busy doing their individual chores in the Mystery Shack's Gift Shop when the screened door opened. Wendy stepped out from behind and saw the petite girl whistling to herself happily next to the register.

"Hey, there, sunshine!" the redhead greeted. "What's shakin'?"

"Wendy!"

A glimmer of hope shined in Dipper's heart as he watched the two girls converse from across the room. All worry disappeared from his consciousness as the fifteen-year-old appeared to be back to her friendly and laid-back old self. "_It's like Grunkle Stan said_," he thought to himself, "_Maybe Wendy just needed time to let some steam off…"_

He called out, "Hi, Wen – " only to stop in mid-sentence.

As soon as the smallest sound came out of Dipper's mouth, the teen instantaneously turned her head and shot him an angry glare, making him freeze in place. The emerald eyes that he loved so much were now searing through him like hot coals.

_"Whoa! If looks could kill, I'd would have probably died five times over before I'd hit the ground!" _

Without taking her sights off of the trembling boy in front of him, Wendy once more addressed his twin sister, "Say, Mabel. I was kinda running late this morning, so I missed out on some breakfast. Let's say you and I sneak away and catch a quick bite to eat?" Her brow narrowed as she finished, ensuring that Dipper received the implied message.

"Um…" Mabel went back and forth between her brother and her co-worker, well aware that something was definitely amiss, "…yeah…sure! Sounds great!"

"Good!" Wendy flashed a smile, making her way towards Dipper, "I'll check around to make sure Stan's out of sight…" As she slowly walked past the still-stunned child, the same furious expression glued on her dimpled face, every hair on his body stood on end until Wendy had reached the parlor door, "I'll be waiting for ya outside, okay?"

The second Wendy's footfalls disappeared into the distance, Mabel ran to her twin's side and repeatedly shook him by the shoulders, "WHAT – WAS – THAT?!"

Dipper merely hung his head, "Tell me about it…"

Mabel gave him a sly grin, "Ohhh…" she laughed, "I get it now!" She playfully poked and prodded at her sibling's midsection, making him groan and twitch as she sang in a sing-song voice, "Somebody's in the doghouse!"

"That's not funny, Mabel!" Dipper shouted, pushing her stubby hands away from his ticklish spots, "To be honest, it's…" The haunting image of his livid beloved was burnt into his mind, "…it's kinda _scary_…"

"Yeah," she agreed. "I don't think I've ever seen Wendy that mad…well, ever!"

Seeing Dipper sunk further into the dumps, Mabel reached out in support, "You wanna talk about it?"

Dipper shook his head, "Not really…"

"Mabel! Get a move on!"

She quickly ran past Dipper, following the sound of Wendy's voice. "Don't worry," she replied, rolling her brown eyes, "I'm sure that I'll hear all about it one way or another…"

"Wait a second!" Dipper twirled around and threw out his arms, "You're still going?!"

"Why wouldn't I?! It's free food, and besides, Wendy's not mad at _me_!"

Dipper went to raise a finger to protest, but after quickly closed his gaping mouth, knowing when to admit complete and utter defeat. As Mabel headed out the front door, he took Wendy's position on the stool behind the counter of the Gift Shop, since he was the only one left to watch the Shack. Lowering his head onto his open palms, Dipper sat in misery, waiting for any unsuspecting travelers to stumble upon the tourist trap, as he pondered on what to do to get himself out of this mess…

* * *

><p>Although his legs and back were throbbing in pain, Dipper swiftly pulled up to the backyard of the Mystery Shack and jumped off the purple bicycle with his prize in hand. He peeked around the corner to see that Wendy's red bike wasn't locked up in front. He still had time to pull off his caper!<p>

Using the family entrance, Dipper opened the door, panda-duck tucked carefully under his arm, and found Mabel sitting with her pet pig Waddles in Stan's giant recliner as they watched the worst that Gravity Falls Television had to offer.

Mabel looked to her left to see her brother in the doorway. "Hey, there!" she welcomed. "So, are you out of the doghouse yet?"

He set down the doll as he opened a nearby drawer, "That's _still_ not funny, Mabel!" Dipper searched through its contents until he found remnants of a red ribbon. He carefully tied it evenly around the plushie, finishing it off with a purposely-huge bow at the tip. "There! It's perfect!"

Her brown eyes widened upon seeing the oversized toy, "Ooh!" she adored, leaping from the chair. Mabel raced towards the panda-duck, nearly clipping Waddles in the process, "I want one!"

"Ah-bah-bah!" Dipper hoisted the gift above his head, "This isn't for you!" As he walked into the Gift Shop, Mabel followed along at her twin's heels.

"Oh, come on, Dipper!" she complained. "Just let me get it! It's not like it's going to work anyways!"

A sense of panic rose up within Dipper's already-nervous psyche, "What do ya mean it's not gonna work?! It's got to work!" He walked around Wendy's counter, and placed the toy on the desk with careful, pinpoint precision. Dipper hastened back towards the parlor, only to have his sister go on behind his back.

"Face it, Dip!" Mabel nagged further, "None of that other stuff did the trick, so what makes you think that this will?"

Dipper stopped in his tracks, reflecting on what was just said. It wasn't that the thought hadn't crossed his mind; he simply wished the doubt away, burying it layer after layer within his awareness. Still, Mabel's comment did have ounces of truth within it…

* * *

><p>Nearly a week had passed since the incident at Lookout Point, and the aftermath was starting to get to Dipper; the constant, irritated stares, the seemingly-everlasting bouts of silent treatment, and overall sense of extreme loneliness had driven him to the breaking point. It was there and then that Dipper decided that he couldn't wait another moment for time to heal Wendy's wounds. He had to do whatever it took in order to get back into her good graces again.<p>

Later that day, as Wendy was making her usual rounds outside of the Mystery Shack, Dipper had crept into the empty Gift Shop and prepared a surprise for the ginger that he hoped would melt her icy heart. He had spent his morning in the Gravity Falls Forest, searching for and gathering the loveliest flowers that he could find (his hands fresh with thorn wounds for his efforts). Dipper tried his best to create the most eloquent bouquet despite his limited resources, leaving the gift on Wendy's counter and sneaking away into the living room just before the super-tall redhead walked in.

For what felt like hours on end, Dipper sat alone in Stan's recliner, nervously jittering as he lifted his head every few seconds towards the door leading into the Gift Shop, praying that any moment, Wendy would appear from behind it, and just say _anything_ to him. He knew that it was beyond reasonable asking to expect a forgiving hug (or heaven forbid, a peck on the cheek), but at this point, the wrecked boy was desperate for any sort of positive interaction with the friend he missed so much.

As night fell as last, Dipper's ears perked up as he heard a voice shout out from the next room: "Hey, guys! I'm heading out for the night! I'll see you tomorrow morning!"

The exit door slammed loudly, prompting Dipper to rise to his feet. He tip-toed to the Gift Shop entrance and opened it slightly, peering into the area. The usually-messy store had been straighten and swept up neatly. Wendy had indeed gone home as there wasn't anyone behind the register. Much to Dipper's chagrin, all traces of his present had vanished from the room.

When he approached the cleansed countertop, something in the garbage pail next to the wooden structure caught the corner of his eye. He peeped into the can, only to gasp aloud at the discovery.

Wendy's bouquet lay torn, broken, and wrecked at the bottom of the trash. The boot prints embedded in the soft wrapping clearly indicated that the defenseless plants were mercilessly stomped on. Being sure to leave the mess in a freshly–laid bag where it was easy to see, Wendy had obviously made her intentions clear.

Dipper pulled his head back as his stomach began to boil, "I knew I was in trouble…_but this_…"

He made a tactical retreat to his attic-converted bedroom in an attempt to calm his shaken nerves. Regardless of his failed attempt, the wheels in Dipper's mind began to turn as he contemplated on what course of action he should take next.

Over the next few days, Dipper made sure to be extra careful to not to bump into Wendy, lest risk increasing her rage. At the same time, he opted to do several odd jobs around the Shack in order to get a few extra dollars from his Grunkle Stan (something that he would have to fight tooth and nail to get out of the shifty senior). With his hard-earned money in hand, Dipper headed to the local bakery and ordered a box of the fanciest chocolate candies that he could afford. Sensing that the lad had someone special in mind with this treat, the kind-hearted clerk helping Dipper made sure to prepare the box with tender, loving care, sealing the package with a lavish bow.

Dipper whistled happily to himself as he made the trek back to the Shack with the sugary treat clasped underneath his noodle arm. This time around, he would try a different approach in winning back his enraged crush. Knowing that they had almost identical tastes when it came to their favorite snacks, Dipper figured that the best way to reach Wendy was through her stomach.

As was the case with his last attempt, he waited for the plucky lumberjack princess to leave her post, only to promptly sneak inside of the Gift Shop and place the small package in the middle of her register. He figured that there would be no way that Wendy would miss it.

Once again, he hid himself away in the next room as he waited in agony for a sign that his token of apology had worked to some degree. All of a sudden, the Gift Shop door swung open, making the over-anxious kid skip from his seat and exclaim, "I knew you'd – "

Instead of seeing his beloved acquaintance, Dipper's eyes lowered to ground–level as the door swung backwards. Waddles had contentedly galloped into the room, releasing a series of happy squeals and oinks. Dipper bent down on one knee to see that the pig's adorably-chubby face had been messily smeared with chocolate. It only took him a split second to realize what had happened.

"…like it…"

Dipper sunk down in hopelessness as Waddles fell back on his hind legs and started to lick the disappointed teenager's face.

"I guess…_back to the drawing board_…"

* * *

><p>"Because it has to, Mabel!" Dipper argued back, wiping away all of his recent failures from his mind. He turned around to meet his doubting sister, "<em>Because…if this doesn't work…I…don't know what else to do!"<em>

Mabel took on a serious tone as she tried to offer her best advice, "Dipper, instead of trying to do all of these crazy things for Wendy, why don't you just apologize to her face-to-face?"

"How can I, Mabel? Wendy won't give me the time of day, yet alone let me talk to her!"

Despite the sincerity in her twin's voice, Mabel could tell there was something off.

"You are sorry for everything that happened, right?!"

After a moment of slight hesitation, Dipper replied, "Of course…"

Mabel holded her sweater-laced arms and stared crossly at him.

"Kinda…"

"What do you mean "kinda?!" she shouted, "How could you say that?!"

Dipper started to walk around the shop as he narrated, "You think I like making Wendy sad and having her hate my guts?" He twisted around, "But what was I supposed to do, Mabel? Just leave her like that with Robbie? Who knows what kind of awful fate he had planned for her? He coulda turned her into a vampire, or a zombie, or whatever kind of monster he really is!"

"Or," Mabel answered, "They could have just been playing "kissy-face" all night long…"

Upon hearing the disturbing detail, Dipper threw his hands upwards and started to rub his face, "You're really not helping here, Mabel…"

She walked up and put a supportive hand around his shoulder, "Look at it this way, Dipper: _Robbie may have broken Wendy's heart, but you're the one that made her cry._ What does that tell you?"

"But I had to stop him, Mabel!" Dipper threw his fist into his other empty palm, "_It was for the greater good!_ Sure, I know it made Wendy mad, but at least _she's safe_. And if that's the way…"

He stopped in mid-sentence as they heard the sounds of heavy steps approaching the exit door. "It's her!" Dipper grabbed her hand, dragging Mabel off her feet, and into the living room.

Hiding behind the door, the Pines twins listened as their friend made her way across the counter. Abruptly, the sounds of her mud-stained boots faded away, only to be replacement with a mystified "Huh?!"

Shaking with anticipation, Dipper gently nudged his sister towards the edge of the opening, "Take a look inside, PLEASE!" The braced girl squinted into the lit-up crack as Dipper went on, "Is she holding it? Is she hugging it?"

*RRRRRIIIIIPPPPPP!*

Mabel looked back at him with a pained expression on her face.

"Umm…maybe you should look for yourself…"

She stepped out of the way as Dipper took her spot at the slightly opened door. He glanced inside to see Wendy sitting on her stool at the Gift Shop register with her nose buried in the latest teen magazine.

"But where – where is…" As Dipper's sights aimed downward, he covered his mouth to avoid making his presence known.

At the side of the timber counter, the purple panda-duck lied decapitated against the trash bin. The torso sat comfortably against the silver cylinder; a pile of white fluff seemed to flow endlessly from its neck. The mixed-up head was placed upside-down on the other side. Its cheesy smile almost made it seem like the innocent doll hadn't suffered a dreadful fate.

Suddenly, the redhead looked up from her periodical and glared into the distance, directly into the widen eyes of Dipper Pines, as if she knew he was secretly watching. Her cold, green pupils dug into Dipper's very soul, prompting him to push away from the door.

"I'm…" Dipper stuttered, backpedaling as far as he could. "I promised Soos that I…that I would get everything ready to catch _that flying creature the town's been talking about_…"

Mabel confronted her stunned sibling, "But, Dipper…"

He had already raced up the stairs leading to the second floor by the time she could respond.

Taking a deep breath, Mabel pushed the door open, knowing that she would probably live to regret this meager attempt to aid in repairing the strained friendship.

Flashing the brightest smile that she could, Mabel greeted her co-worker, "Hiya, Wendy! What are you up –"

Without warning, the aggravated teenager slammed her reading material down on the counter and rose to her feet.

"Look, I know he's your brother…"

"But…"

"…and that you guys are close…"

"Yeah, but…"

Wendy pointed straight at the pint-sized pixie in front of her, "But don't think for one second that you're going to help his sorry, little-"

"But, Wendy!"

"WHAT?!"

Mabel pulled her arms behind her back and sheepishly said, "I was just seeing how you were holding up…"

The ginger pulled back, releasing that she had crossed a line with her outburst. "Sorry…" Wendy shrunk back down into her seat. In a calm manner, she admitted to her friend, "I didn't mean to snap like that, short stuff. It's just that lately, everything's been so – "

In her frustration, Wendy let her brown trapper hat fall into the counter. She shortly buried her face into it as she groaned out loud: "AAARRRGGGHHH!"

Seeing the bothered state of her buddy, Mabel walked up to Wendy, and placed her hand on her flannelled elbow, "This whole thing is eating you alive as much as it is Dipper, isn't it?"

Wendy replied, her voice muffled by her flurry cap, "My boyfriend turned out to be a total jerk. My other friends have been avoiding me because they don't want to get in the middle of Robbie and me, and Dipper…"

She turned her head to face Mabel. The little teen was surprised to see that Wendy's emerald eyes, now soft and shiny, were nearly tear-filled.

"Why won't he apologize to me?"

Mabel squeezed her harder, "Dipper's a smart guy, Wendy, but it just takes him a bit longer to get these kinda things."

With a *SNIFFLE*, Wendy sat back up, and used her hands to dry her eyes. Knowing that Dipper was no longer around, she reached down and retrieved the two parts of the fallen panda-duck doll. Opening the drawer in front of her, her fingers fiddled through the contents until she was able to find a sewing needle and some thread. Wendy carefully lined up the tears on the plushie and began to stitch the ruined toy back into one piece.

"So, you did like the dollie!"

"Of course I did, Mabel." Wendy explained as she went to work repairing her gift. "You don't know how long I wanted one of these guys!" She stopped momentarily as she finished her thought, "But at the same time, I can't let what Dipper did slide. If I do, it'll only tell him that what he did was okay…"

Mabel nodded in agreement, "I hear ya, sister. The way I see it, this is something that he has to figure out on his own; otherwise, he won't learn anything from this whole thing!"

"I know, right?!" Wendy spun the panda-duck around and double-checked her handiwork. Upon finishing the mend, she picked up her present and held it up to her chest, squeezing it as hard as she could. "But, how long is that going to take?"

"Give him time," Mabel suggested as she made her way back to the living room, "He'll come around, and before you know it, everything will be okay again!"

All alone in the Gift Shop, Wendy leaned back on the stool, panda-duck still in hand, and wished for the best.

"I hope so, kiddo. I hope so…"

Unaware to the fifteen year old, Wendy was being stalked from the outside window by two shadowy forms. As they listened with glee to her grim situation, they turned towards one another while bearing a sinister grimace.

"Imagine our luck…" the taller creature stated.

"This will be easier than we thought…" its shorter counterpart noted.

"I'll take the low road…"

"And I'll go high!"

The wicked beings laughed as they disappeared into the darkness of the forest, each rushing to carry out their own part in the otherworldly plot that had been bestowed upon them…


	3. Chapter 2

_"I can't go on living this way, but I can't go back the way I came.  
>Chained to this fear that I will never find a way to heal my soul.<br>And I will wander 'til the end of time, half alive without you…"_

"My Heart is Broken," by Evanescence

**Chapter 2 – Midnight Rendezvous**

_"I must be crazy for doing this…"_

Wendy Corduroy drifted around aimlessly through the thick fog that seemingly rose from the cold ground. Looking up at the sky, she saw that the full moon had been completely covered in overcast, shrouding her in total darkness. Wendy quietly shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, as chills went down her spine. However, the girl couldn't decide it was because of the unusually cold weather or due to the situation had she had currently found herself in.

As a child, her father had always warned her to stay far away from this place (which he had dubbed, "a rotting, diseased shantytown" in the middle of his fair town). Trying his best to scare his lumberjack princess straight, Manly Dan would often recall tales of what would happen to wayward children whom would do otherwise. He spoke of instances where careless kids had gotten themselves locked inside the empty freights, only to be accidentally sent off to other states, or how youngsters playing on the tracks would often lose a limb because they wouldn't notice the rare instance in which a lone train would come barreling down the road without warning.

The scare tactics may have worked on her when she was younger, but now that she was a grown up ("almost grown-up" she shortly corrected herself), Wendy knew better. As long as she was careful, there was nothing that could possibly go wrong. Besides, she wasn't looking for trouble; there was a particular reason that she had come to the spooky vicinity.

Wendy rubbed up and down her shoulders for warmth, recalling exactly how she ended up in the center of nowhere during the middle of the night…

* * *

><p>Earlier that evening, right after Mabel left the Gift Shop, Wendy let out a sigh of misery. Despite of her incredibly downtrodden state, the fifteen-year-old knew that there were still plenty of chores to do before she could call it a day. Wendy went around the Shack, tidying up to the bare minimum in which Stan wouldn't bother her about its conditioning (<em>the very last thing that she needed<em> in her life at the moment).

When she returned, the redhead noticed a new surprise on her counter. A white sheet of paper dangled over the edge. "What the – " Wendy looked around the room for any sign of Dipper, "I didn't even see him come in or leave…" She scratched the tip of her head in confusion, "How'd he do that?"

With a roll of her shiny green eyes, Wendy quickly sped through the chicken-scratch as she tried her best to make out the sloppy handwriting:

_"I don't know about you, but I'm tired of this back-and-forth stuff.  
>Can we please just talk this whole thing out? But not here…<br>Meet me later tonight at the old Gravity Falls Rail Yard.  
>When we're done, I've got one last surprise that you'll just die over.<em>

_I really hope you'll come, Wendy. I'll be waiting for you._

_ -Dipper"_

Wendy leaned back on her stool as she thought about what to do next. As she just finished explaining to Mabel, she could care less about all of these over-the-top gifts and presents. Instead of playing all these games, the only thing that she really wanted from her young admirer was a simple, yet earnest apology.

Her memory flashed back to that night at Lookout Point. It had started out as a gorgeous evening. There had been a warm summer breeze flowing through the atmosphere as she sat peacefully in Robbie's barely-running van. Her emerald eyes were locked on the stars neatly hung in the night sky; they sparkled like the display was a sort of private showing for her and her alone.

"Huh, weird!" Robbie exclaimed, moving ever-so-close to her, "Nate didn't show up…" He reached over and placed an arm around the lanky lumberjack girl, "So, I-I guess it's just you and me. _This isn't what I was planning at all!"_

Surrounded by the pungent stench of cheaply-made body spray, Wendy fought the urge to cough aloud, instead choosing to smile back at her boyfriend. After all, he was making an effort to be somewhat-romantic; she didn't feel like busting his stones for trying…

All of a sudden, the peace was interrupted by the sound of thunder. Wendy peeked upwards to see that the sky was still crystal clear. She gasped as a huge object flew from the bottom of the hill in a heated fury, almost like a demonic form rising from Hades, only to violently crash on the plain.

At a stand-still, Wendy could see that the rumbling monstrosity was in truth, a familiar-looking red jalopy. Blinded by its headlights, she spotted a figure stepping out of each side of the car. The taller one remained as the tiny blurb ran straight in her direction.

Wendy placed her hand above her eyes of hopes of regaining a bit of sight. It stopped at her door, as it flailed its stubby arms around in a panic!

"Wendy! Stop!" a squeaky voice pleaded.

Instantly recognizing the tone, she rolled down the window and narrowed her eyes trying to make out her friend, "Dipper?"

While his great-uncle waited patiently at his vintage car, the boy stood before her with a worried look on his face. In his hands, he offered up an old-fashioned tape recorder.

"Look, Wendy; you've got to hear this…"

At first, she didn't know what to think. What could have been so important that he had to seek her out here and now? Dipper's expression had only raised her suspicions; it was only when Robbie reached over and attempted to silence her co-worker had she realized _something was, indeed, wrong here_.

"Let me just…close the window…"

Before Robbie had a chance to shut him out, Dipper was finally able to turn the player on. Wendy could hear a faint tune in the background. It was the song that Robbie had written for her – _her song_! But something was wrong. The words were twisted and trampled. Out of all of the mumbling, Wendy was able to make out one lyric clearly:

_"You are under my control. Your mind is mine!"_

Upon hearing it, Wendy pulled her head backwards in shock, "Whoa!" She immediately turned towards her beau, who looked like he was caught in the act, "Robbie, what's _that_ doing in _our_ song?"

The gothic musician mumbled on and on, piling lie after lie: "Baby, I promise; I don't know anything about those messages! In fact, I didn't even write that song. I ripped it off some other band!" Wendy's rage only grew with every sentence uttered. "I can't believe it…" she pondered. "It was supposed to be his way of saying that he was sorry, and now – _it_ – _my gift_ – is nothing more than just another lie!"

Fed up with everything, Wendy let her frustrations out and broke off her relationship with Robbie. As she slammed his van door shut, Wendy's thoughts changed towards her sweet-hearted companion; his concerned visage still burnt into her sub-consciousness. "_My poor little guy_…" she thought. "Dipper must have been going out of his gorge, thinking that I was in some type of trouble. It just goes to show that he's the only one I can count –"

All notions were silenced as Wendy raised her head. She expected to see the pint-sized teenager rushing to her side, squeezing her torso to death in a massive bear-hug, thanking the heavens that she was alright, or asking if she needed a ride home.

Instead, Wendy found Dipper and Stan _literally_ jumping for joy, celebrating with one another like some stupid game had just been won. They were laughing and smiling and high-fiving each other as if they didn't have another care in the world.

"…on…"

Without batting as much as eyelash, Wendy stormed past the two males. She lowered her head so that they wouldn't see the tears starting to form in her green eyes.

"If anything, I'm the very last thing on _his_ – _their_ minds!"

As Wendy was about to set off on the long journey back home, Dipper called out after her:

"Um…hey!"

She stopped in her tracks; a small shred of hope still lingered in her heart. Wendy twisted her head to face "her rescuer."

"Uh, now that your night is free, me and Grunkle Stan are thinking, maybe bowling, or something?"

With that last comment, Wendy's heart sunk down to her feet. Before she fully turned around to lay into the ignorant boy before her, a horrible and depressing thought became locked in her mind:

"I hate to admit it, but maybe…maybe deep down, Dipper and Robbie aren't as different as they think they are…"

* * *

><p>"Wendy?!"<p>

The ginger shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts. Regardless of her mixed feelings, Wendy knew that she had to focus at the task at hand. She cupped her hands against her mouth and shouted into the mist:

"Dipper?! Is that you?! Where are you?!"

"Over here, Wendy!"

The high schooler blindly rushed into the dark, only to be led further on by her friend's voice. She had a feeling that coming all the way out here might have been a bad idea, but at the same time, Dipper hasn't really left her a choice. After she discovered the letter in the Gift Shop, the pip-squeaked detective was nowhere to be found; in short, Wendy had no way to get a hold of him and convince him otherwise.

Wendy had no intention of leaving her buddy by himself in this wreck-hole all night long even after what had happened between them. If anything, she knew how it felt to be _left waiting for someone who was never coming._

While the idea of another "Dipper surprise" piqued her interest, Wendy simply had to remind herself of the experience with Robbie V.; in her eyes, she couldn't let a gift take the place of a real apology again. The more she thought about it, the more questions Wendy found herself asking. Why did they have to meet out here? And why in the dead of night? What had Dipper planned for her that couldn't have been said or done at the Mystery Shack?

"Dipper? How much further?"

Then again, Wendy's thoughts shifted to that of her ex-boyfriend. Over the last few days, Robbie hadn't made _any attempt_ to ask for forgiveness or even say a single word to her since that fateful night. While Dipper didn't give Wendy the apology that she really wanted (or needed), she would be lying if she didn't admit that she appreciated that the thirteen-year-old was _at least trying_ to make some effort towards her. Depending on his actions tonight, Wendy was even considering letting her minuscule friend off the hook for his blunder. As Mabel reminded her earlier that day, things haven't been the same since the duo stopped hanging out together.

In the distance, Wendy could make out his small stature fading in and out of the fog. He paused and threw his arm back with a wave forward, "We're almost there!" Before she could catch up with Dipper, he seemingly vanished back into the haze.

"How is he going so fast?" Wendy wondered. "I can usually run circles around Dipper without even trying!"

The deeper Wendy traveled into the rail yard, the more the miasma appeared to clear up. The redhead looked around to see that rows upon rows of filthy rail cars surrounded her, almost like they popped up out of nowhere. Wendy gulped in nervousness as her dad's haunting stories came back to mind. Passing the open doors of the cargo containers, she could only question (not having the courage to actually peek into the gloomy corners) if there really were unfortunate souls seeking refuge inside.

Her thoughts swiftly changed towards the positive. What if Dipper's surprise was that he had found something incredible inside one of these things? Wendy's imagination raced at the endless possibilities: hidden treasures, a mystical creature of some sort, or even a forgotten surplus of Pitt Cola!

Wendy started to slow down as she lost track of her young cohort yet again, "Dipper?!"

"Just a few steps further, Wendy! You're almost there!"

Following her pal's instructions, she took a few paces forward, leaving the train graveyard. The fog returned thicker than before, forcing Wendy to feel around towards her next destination with her boots. The raised points underfoot let her know that she was near the path of tracks that enclosed the old lot.

Finding herself blinded once more by the thick mist, Wendy twirled around in search of where to go next, "Dipper, are we there yet?"

"Hmm…" he answered from the distance, "Just about…"

Suddenly, Wendy cried out in pain as something rose up from the earth and clamped tightly around her right foot. With a groan, she tried to lift her leg upwards, only to find that it wouldn't budge a single inch. In spite of her lack of sight, Wendy reached downward to examine what had taken a hold of her ankle. As her stubby fingers felt around, she noticed that it was an object of solid metal that had her in its grasp.

"What the –" Wendy asked herself as she continued to try to wiggle free, "Did I walk into a bear-trap or something?" After a moment to think about it, she dismissed the idea, "No; if it was something like that, I'd be in a lot more pain. There would be wounds; there would be a ton of blood. If only I could see what's going on down there…"

As if the fates heard her request, the smog started to clear up. Straining her emerald eyes, Wendy glanced downward, only to gasp in response.

Somehow, Wendy had managed to wedge her boot in between the rails of the train track.

"Oh…Oh man!"

A sense of claustrophobia started to rise from her chest. Wendy tried to kick herself free from the metal trap, only to have every thrust defeated. She dropped to one knee and seized her ankle with both hands as she tugged with all her might.

Her efforts only made the metal pinch the sides of her foot even harder. She could hear the nagging warnings of her father ringing in the back of her mind.

"Dipper!" Wendy yelled out. "I need you to *ARRGH!* to come back here! I'm…I'm in –"

The gingered teen looked to her left to see that the disappearing vapor had revealed one last revelation. At the other side of the track, her partner in crime stood silently watching over the redhead as she struggled in vain at her predicament. Dipper's arms were latched onto the rail switch embedded deeply into the ground.

Wendy's eyes widened as she quickly realized the truth: she had not gotten herself accidentally caught on the train tracks; _Dipper had purposely trapped her on the rail!_

"I'm…in trouble…"

She overlooked her chum, noting that something was definitely off about him. The boy simply stared at his damsel with his trademark blue and white pine tree trucker cap draped over his face. Wendy noted that for some reason, Dipper's complexion looked even more pale than usual, almost like he was a worn-out photocopy of himself.

The creepiest detail of all was that even with his face covered, Wendy could easily make out that he sported an eerie smile that stretched from ear to ear.

"How…?" Wendy tried to comprehend the reality of the situation as her thoughts wandered, "But, how did he…could he…? It would have taken some_ mad-scientist skills_ for him to get everything so perfectly…" The girl unquestionably had her doubts, but at the same time, here she was, stuck in this trap, with Dipper apparently guilty of being her captor.

Rising to a standing position, Wendy coached herself into maintaining a cool-headed mentality. With some luck, she thought that a little charm could help her learn why Dipper did this in the first place. She figured that if she was to appear angry in any fashion, he might freak out even further and leave her like this.

"Ok," Wendy admitted, holding her hands up in a faux-surrender, "Looks like ya got me…" She pulled on her stuck foot to demonstrate further, "…and good!" Offering a forced smirk, Wendy crossed her arms and asked, "So, now that we're all the way out here, what was it that you wanted to show me?"

Oddly enough, Dipper maintained his stance, not responding to Wendy's acknowledgement. His only change in movement was that the sinister grim grew somewhat deeper.

"So, what?" Wendy raised an eyebrow in confusion, "You're just going to stand there without saying anything?" She narrowed her eyes at the shorten teen as she placed her fists on her hips, "What's this all about, Dipper?" Wendy used her hands on highlight her lodged boot again, "Don't cha think that this is a bit "extreme" in trying to get my attention?"

Once again, the tiny male refused to answer her back. His hands tightened around the iron switch.

Wendy was starting to lose her patience. "Look, man," she leveled with him. "You're starting to creep me out a little bit. If you have something to say, then just say it already!"

Even though she had raised her voice at him, Wendy still received no response from Dipper.

"Say something!" she ordered, trying to yank her leg to freedom. "You need to open that thing and let me out, or else, you'll be sorry!"

Dipper offered a small chuckle under his breath. He shook his head back and forth, denying her request.

"LEMME OUTTA HERE, DIPPER! RIGHT NOW! I'M WARNING YOU! LET ME GO BEFORE SOMETHING BAD – "

She was instantly cut off by a blaring sound echoing in the distance; a haunting indication that her premonition was moments away from becoming true. A pair of bright yellow could be spotted a few miles away. The tracks beneath Wendy's feet started to vibrate at an alarming rate. Goose flesh broke out across her entire body.

Wendy looked back at her friend, "Listen, Dipper," she nervously stammered, taking her octave down a few notches. "I know things have been crazy between you and me over the last few days, but I know deep down, you wouldn't want to hurt me, right?" She beamed down at him with pleading eyes, "You gotta get me outta here, Dipper; before it's too late and something happens that you _can't_ take back. Do you understand me?"

Her pleas went unanswered as Dipper merely stood and watched as Wendy came closer and closer to a doomed fate with every passing second.

The approaching train's whistle rung throughout the dead-night-air, prompting Wendy to turn her head in its direction. She knew that it was a warning for her to get out of the way, but the conductor behind the controls had no idea that the unfortunate adolescent was _literally_ bound to the track, akin to a hapless damsel in distress in one of those old-timey black and white movies Dipper and her used to marathon though on rainy days.

"Dipper, _please_," Wendy begged, spinning around to face her friend, "Don't do –"

Her words immediately became lost in her throat as she seen that Dipper was no longer there at her side.

"Ohhh…" a hushed cry escaped Wendy's lips. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Her one-time devotee and best bud had just _left her to die_.

"DIPPER!" she shrieked, twisting and turning her leg violently, nearly to the point where it was about to pop out of its joint. "PLEASE COME BACK! *UGH* *UGH* DON'T LEAVE ME HERE LIKE THIS, PLEASE!"

The train's horn grew louder as it continued to barrel down the road at a distressing pace. Wendy knew better that even if it were to slam on its brakes at this instance, there would be no way the caravan would be able to stop in time before clipping her.

Coming to terms that she was all alone in her distress, Wendy fell to one knee again in an attempt to squirm out of her dilemma.

"Okay, my boot's caught, but maybe I can squeeze my foot out…"

She used her hands to try to widen the part between her leg and the shoe. Unfortunately, the metal rod's grip was too tight, preventing Wendy from separating her ped from the oversized wader.

Wendy let out an aggravated grunt in defeat as she tried to think of a new strategy. The increasing rumbling constantly reminded the panicked girl that her time was fleeing with every wasted moment.

She examined the surrounding area for a hint to lend to her escape, only to find herself focusing on the rail switch where Dipper had positioned himself earlier.

"If only I could reach that thing…" Wendy thought, "I can get myself out of this mess…" A split second later, lightning struck her; a desperate idea rose up from her fretful subconscious. Wendy speedily unbuttoned her green flannel shirt, exposing her bare arms to the freezing ambiance.

"I can be cold later…_if I'm still alive, that is…"_

Tying the long-sleeved ends together in a knot, Wendy made a makeshift lasso and prepared herself to try to snag the pole at the other end of the road.

"Here goes nothing…"

She lunged her body forward to let the green rope fly through the air, only to have her foot pulled back in mid-throw. The lasso came up short, missing the mark by a huge margin.

"Come on! Come on!" Wendy pulled the shirt back in order to make another attempt. The deafening horn blasted in her ears, ruining her concentration. She took a deep breath and focused, knowing that her next actions would be the difference between life and death.

"Okay, Wendy-girl. You can do this. You kicked butt at this kinda stuff back at the Lumberjack Games. You won then, and you'll win now…"

The gawky teen went to take her second throw, only to be startled by the increasing shaking of the ground underneath her legs. The lariat went over the switch, barely missing it by mere inches.

"Darn it!"

Wendy turned to see that the train was now narrowing down upon her; it would only be a few minutes away from striking her. She grit her teeth and with an exasperated grumble, Wendy tossed the loop through the air one last time. Her freckled face lit up as finally, the shirt-rope hit its mark.

"Yes!"

Pulling back on the flannel, Wendy tried her best to pull the rail controller back in the other direction. Inch by inch, the redhead felt the pressure being removed from her right foot.

*HONK! HONK!*

"Just…a little…more…"

Unexpectedly, Wendy heard a sound that nearly dashed her hopes:

*RRRRRRIIIIIIPPPPPPP!*

Her mouth dropped open as Wendy noticed that the more she lugged on her shirt, the more it was being torn down the middle. Her heart felt as if it wanted to leap out of her chest!

*HONK! HONK!*

Taking the fabric by both hands, Wendy decided to take her chances. Using all of her weight, she heaved backwards as much as she could before the lasso broke into two pieces. Wendy stumbled about, only to remain anchored by her trapped foot.

*HONK! HONK!*

Quickly regaining her balance, Wendy noticed that the switch had moved even further towards its natural state. The pressure had been greatly reduced on her pinned appendage. She tried to raise her foot straight up, only to see her boot get caught under the edges of the metal rods once more.

*HONK! HONK!*

"Maybe if I try to slip out of my boot one last time…"

Using her hands to spread the tops of her shoe open, Wendy closed her eyes and jerked her leg as hard as she could. Despite the painful, scrapping feeling against her arch, the ginger could feel her restriction growing looser. At the last second, Wendy's socked foot came flying out of the boot with a soft *PLOP!*

With the train mere feet away, she dove from the tracks, landing roughly face first on the dirt-covered ground. She could feel the wind from the passing carriage caressing her, lightly blanketing her in a layer of dust.

"You stupid kid!"

Wendy turned her head to see the train conductor hanging out of his window, shouting and shaking his fist at her, "Ya got some sorta death wish or somethin'? What were yer thinkin'?!"

As the train continued to fly by, the exhausted cashier lowered her head as she struggled to regain her breath. Staring at the star-studded sky, Wendy reflected on the last few moments, trying her best to process and even accept what had just happened.

_"I…I still can't believe it…"_ Wendy thought to herself, _"Dipper….he…he tried to…"_ She had to stop from finishing the sentence as the meager thought made her tremble. If Wendy wasn't here to witness his wicked turn firsthand, she _never_ would have believed it herself.

As she contemplated further about it, a sense of guilt came across the gingered teenager's mind, _"Did I make him snap?"_ Wendy remembered how many times Dipper tried to offer somewhat of an olive branch over the last few days, only for her to cruelly turn him away. Had her actions somehow broken down the sensitive child's psyche, making him lapse into madness?

"No!" Wendy shook away the notion as she sat upright, "There's no possible excuse for _this_…for _everything_ he did tonight! No matter what happened between us, _nothing_ could justify him leaving me like that!"

Her anger grew as she recalled the conductor's words, "The old geezer was right! _I was stupid_! Stupid for thinking anything good would come outta this place; from that kid!" Wendy rose to her feet, and dusted herself off as she looked around the distance, "What was I thinking?"

The train finally disappeared back into the darkness. Wendy spotted her still-lodged boot in the rail, shredded into a thousand little pieces. She gulped at the possibility that she could have been inside of the footwear when the destruction occured. Her green eyes also noted the tattered remains of her flannel shirt spread across the road.

Wendy turned around to make the long journey back home. If only she had the strength and energy to do so, she would go over the Mystery Shack and tan Dipper's hide this very moment; she would have to settle for the morning. After taking a few uncomfortable lop-sided steps with only one boot on, Wendy stopped and peeled it off, along with her red and orange plaid socks.

As the unforgiving wind chilled the enraged young woman to the bone, Wendy made her way towards her family's secluded cabin in the woods. The various pebbles, shrubbery, and other shrapnel spread across the roads ahead painfully pierced and poked at the soles of her bare feet with each step, only increasing her fury towards the boy that Wendy thought she knew so well…


	4. Chapter 3

_"__Used to be one of the rotten ones, and I liked you for that__.  
><em>_Now you're all gone, got your make-up on, and you're not coming back.  
>Can't you come back?<em>_"_

"Anthems For A Seventeen-Year-Old-Girl," by Broken Social Scene

**Chapter 3 – Torn Memories**

_"Yuck!" _ Dipper Pines complained as he ruffled his fingers through his matted brown hair, "That stuff got everywhere!"

It had only been a few hours since his last paranormal adventure in the summertime getaway of Gravity Falls, Oregon. The teenaged detective had set off with his friend and co-worker Soos to seek out a supposed "flying monster" that was terrorizing their humble town. Amiss his research (which was promptly ruined by his clumsy, portly friend), Dipper discovered that the beast was in truth, a living, breathing pterodactyl straight out of prehistoric times!

As Dipper attempted to salvage the findings accidentally damaged by Soos, a blood-curling shriek interrupted the peaceful natural flow. He darted outside to see his Great-Uncle Stan ("Grunkle Stan" for short) staring up at the sky in a stupor.

Just moments before, the elder had helplessly watched as the same behemoth Dipper had been tracking swooped down and snatched away his twin sister's beloved pet pig, Waddles. The tiny pink speck squealed and cried out in horror as it was dragged away into the distance.

Just as Mabel was on the verge of a nervous breakdown from the appalling news, Dipper stepped up to the plate and rallied the troops together in her name. Within minutes, the motley crew was packed into Soos's truck and ready to follow the dinosaur's trail of destruction.

Before leaving on the journey, the pint-size adolescent felt some hesitation weighting down within him. He briefly considered seeking out his angered crush and requesting her help. At the last minute, Dipper changed his mind, figuring that Wendy would mostly likely rebuke him, even if it was for Mabel's sake; the last thing he needed at that particular moment was to talk to a proverbial wall for ten minutes.

As the group drove onwards, Dipper looked back at the Mystery Shack, where Wendy manned the Gift Shop alone in their absence, with regret lingering in his heart. On second thought, he considered maybe giving his main squeeze some distance wouldn't necessarily be such a bad thing.

While searching for the missing pig, Dipper and his family discovered a series of catacombs hidden beneath an abandoned church just outside of town. Stumbling about in the dark, they discovered dozens of dinosaurs neatly preserved for millions of years in a form of super-sticky amber sap. As they explored on, the little explorer found out that the extreme summer heat had started to melt some of the gooey cocoons, releasing the deadly creatures into the modern world.

After retrieving Waddles and narrowly escaping the pterodactyl's razor-edged talons, the exhausted team made the long trip back home. As they followed the setting sun, Dipper shifted his weary head from against the side window and peered into the back seat. A simple smile formed on his face as he watched his great-uncle and sister nestled fast-asleep in each other's arms with Waddles wedged in-between.

He turned back around with the sweetened, yet _all-too-familiar_ scene fresh in his mind. Dipper's thoughts quickly shifted to his wounded gingered friend. He had just watched as his sibling came inches away from losing her best friend, only to fight tooth and nail to get him back from his abductor. He focused on the "Wendy-eccentric" advice she had offered him earlier.

"Huh," Dipper pondered, questioning the serene wisdom hidden within the layers of off-the-wall natural silliness. "Maybe Mabel's right; I should forget about all of this fancy-schmancy stuff and just try to talk to Wendy. After all, she was willing to go to heck and back for a pig; I should do _whatever it takes_ to make things right, even if I do get screamed at and cussed out for it…"

Upon arriving back at the Mystery Shack, Dipper leapt from the passenger's seat with a renewed sense of hope. Leaving Soos to wake up the others, he sped towards the Gift Shop entrance, only to stop at in front of the door. Dipper knew that he had to do this now, while he had his courage gathered. There wasn't time to clean up or to try to remove some of the ancient slime that had adhered itself across his body. He tried his best to make himself look as if he just hadn't fought off a gigantic flying behemoth and survived by the skin of his teeth.

Taking a series of short breaths, Dipper closed his brown eyes and opened the door, "Wendy, I –"

Confused by the silence, he opened them to see that no one sat behind the counter at the Gift Shop. Oddly enough, the entire room had been straightened up and neaten like a single soul hadn't entered the establishment that day.

Dipper made his way towards the swinging door leading into the living room and slightly held it open. "Wendy?"

No one answered him back.

With a dejected sigh, Dipper leaned back against the wall and sunk down to the floor. Shifting his head into his lap, the boy lowered into a calmed state, knowing that he had missed his chance, at least, for the moment.

Facing defeat yet again, Dipper rose to his feet and walked into the parlor. He silently moved past the still-half-asleep members of his family who didn't even notice the small dejected speck going by.

Heading upstairs, Dipper figured regardless of his disdain for it, he should probably take a shower in order to get rid of the remnants of the goo that he was coated with. With his luck, it would only be a matter of time before he started to attract swarms of insects because of the sweet-smelling substance.

On his way to the bathroom, Dipper noticed that the door of the attic-covered bedroom that Mabel and he shared was left wide open. "What the – "

His paranoia instantly raced at the unusual sight, "Before we left, I know I made sure that this door was shut…" Dipper slowly entered the room, carefully scanning every possible aspect for any sign of intrusion. After spending several minutes analyzing the scene, the nerve-wrecked young adult collapsed on his orange-covered bed and looked at his nightstand for some much-needed support.

The wobbly-wooden platform held what could easily be his most-treasured possession (even more so that the ruined Journal #3 that he always kept inside his vest pocket). A simple picture frame stood on top of the drawer, displaying an instant photo of Wendy and Dipper fast asleep in a heart-warming embrace.

After escaping from the dangers of the video-game worlds, the two unconscious adolescents were found by Mabel, who decided to capture the adorable moment with her trusty camera. Leaning on a wooden bench, the duo were positioned against one another. Their blue/white and brown caps were vaguely touching as their heads dipped downwards. Both teens wore a tiny smile on their blushed faces, like _they were enjoying a sweeten dream together_. Wendy placed her arm around Dipper and looked down on her pint-sized admirer, almost like she was keeping a watchful eye on her partner in crime. He rested his weary head against her broad shoulder, glancing upwards with great admiration towards his sweetheart.

Whenever Dipper felt lonely or depressed, he would lie in bed and study every detail of the image. The peaceful scene would always seem to bring about a sense of serenity within his fragile frame. When it was time to go on a dangerous mission, Dipper would gently kiss the likeness of his crush on her cheek for good luck.

However, the photo held an even greater significance to the thirteen-year-old. In spite of the entire world telling him otherwise, Dipper saw the snapshot as a symbol in which their experience was indeed _real_ - when the bond he shared with Wendy was at its strongest. He reflected on what Mabel had said to him that day before giving him the beloved gift:

_"THIS is your proof, Dipper! That it did happen somewhere, and maybe can STILL happen even here!"_

Dipper let out a depressed groan as he thought of his sister's choice words, "Yeah, right…I'd give _anything_ to have things back the way they were back then-"

His eyes widened as he noticed something incredibly amiss right in front of him. Dipper leapt from the bed in a bound of pure energy and snatched up the picture frame with both hands. He bought it to his face for closer examination.

The glass paneling had been violently smashed in. _The cherished memento had been ripped from of its resting place._

Dipper's mouth trembled, but no words found their way pass his lips. Completely shunned by the sight, the upset teen fell back onto his bed as he tried to come up with a reasonable answer.

"Who – " he questioned, _"Who would do such a thing? And why? It's just a regular picture; nothing valuable or extraordinary. The only person who thinks it's worth anything is –"_

Before Dipper could finish his notion, his eye caught something else out of place. A white piece of paper was set exactly next to where the frame had stood. Without thinking twice, the confused child seized up the sheet and gave it a quick look-over:

_"We need to talk.  
>If you want it back,<br>meet me later tonight at the Gravity Falls Lake.  
>Don't keep me waiting!"<br>-Wendy_

Astonished, Dipper set the casing down on the table as he tried his best to take in the nasty surprise.

_"Wendy…Wendy did this?! No, it couldn't be! She wouldn't do this!" _

While Dipper's heart was breaking, trying to find any way to prove his gingered friend innocent, his mind impartially pointed out several key factors of evidence; all of which pointed straight in the redhead's direction.

"Well," he debated. "It _is_ definitely Wendy's handwriting. Plus, she _was_ the only one here all day…" Dipper shook his head in defiance, "But how would she know about the picture in the first place?" He thought of finding his bedroom door ajar. He could easily picture a scenario where his love snooping around his room while left all alone in the house, only to stumble upon his valued keepsake.

Dipper stood up as he made his decision. _This had to stop_. While he could easily understand Wendy's frustration with his recent actions, this invasion of his privacy had _definitely_ crossed an uneasy line. After deciding to leave his irreplaceable brown and golden marked journal at home, he rushed through the open door and hurried back down the decayed staircase.

The youngster stopped in his tracks, wondering if it would be wise to let Mabel know what had just happen, but at the last second, decided against it, figuring that having the metal-mouthed girl bragging with countless "_I told you so_…" – 's would do anything but actually help in this situation.

Heading into the Gift Shop, Dipper went behind Wendy's counter and reached upwards on his tip-toes, taking the set of keys from the dangling hook set just above his head. He opened to the door leading outside and dashed towards the closest Mystery Cart. His hand trembled as he turned the ignition. Dipper adjusted the rear-view window, clasped his seatbelt shut, and took off into the dusk.

Despite the range of mixed emotions flowing within him, Dipper knew that there would only be one guarantee: however the night would end, chances were that it would be anything but _good_…

* * *

><p>Arriving at the Gravity Falls Lake, Dipper noticed that the entire area was blanketed by a milky-white haze. He parked his Mystery Cart on the side of the Ranger's station, and watchfully wandered into the mist.<p>

"WENDY?!" Dipper called out, using his cupped-together hands to amplify his usually quiet voice. The boy remained on his guard, truly unaware of whom or what might be waiting in the fog for him. However, the scariest thing to him was that of whatever horrid fate his companion had in mind for him. The sense of the lingering unknown nearly drove him to the brink of madness. His cautious mind couldn't fathom that the one person (next to his sister) that he would consider himself closest to would be hiding in the distance, waiting to enact a twisted plot of maniacal vengeance.

He reflected on all the experiences they had shared over the last few summer months, and found himself asking, "_If everything was reversed, would I be putting Wendy through the ringer like this?_ Would I take her most precious possession and hold it hostage to prove a point?" He thought of the times where Wendy had inadvertently left him behind or chose to put that sociopath Robbie before him. Every single time, Dipper had pushed past his slighted feelings, always deciding to hold one truthful principle above all other things: "_Deep down, Wendy would never purposely want to hurt you_."

But with everything that had just happened, he started to question his self-imposed mantra. The mere hypocrisy of the situation caused a ball of nausea to form in the pit of his stomach.

_"How much longer am I going to be punished for all of this?"_

The vapor only grew thicker as Dipper reached the dock at the edge of the lakefront. He realized that it must have formed as the summer atmosphere mixed with the cool surface of the water. In between the white sheet, Dipper could make out a slender object floating out in the middle of the pond. Narrowing his sights to see a bit more clearly, he noted that someone had taken one of the smaller canoes out and left it deserted out in the remoteness.

All of a sudden, the unusual sight made him focus on the worst possible scenario possible, "What if something's wrong?" A circumstance played out in Dipper's mind, akin to his own personal picture show, in which Wendy had stumbled from her boat, only to find herself unable to successfully make it back onboard before succumbing to unconsciousness.

With the nightmarish image locked inside his head, Dipper looked around portside to see a smaller craft was tethered to the structure a few feet below him. He swiftly untied the rope binding the boat and blindly leapt downwards; Dipper had nearly missed the mark and slipped into the murky depths.

He paddled towards his destination in a breathless haste, hoping to the heavens that he wasn't too late to prevent disaster from striking.

Crashing into the lone vehicle, Dipper hopped from one vessel to the next. Moving from edge to edge, he cried out into the mist, "WENDY?! ARE YOU OUT THERE?! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!"

Suddenly, the overly-concerned admirer stopped in his tracks as a sinister notion came to mind. _What if this was her revenge?_ Dipper could only imagine the fifteen-year-old with a twisted smirk on her face as she watched him freak out over _nothing_ from a safe distance onshore. The wheels in his head started to turn as the diminutive sleuth examined the scene for clues.

"Hmm…" Dipper contemplated, rubbing his fingers against his chin. "If Wendy was here, she would have left something sort of trail behind; muddy boot prints, a few splashes of water; something!" Instead, all that was left inside of the boat was _a series of torn-up shreds of multi-colored reflective paper._

"Huh…"

Dipper began to rise up, only to halt halfway when he realized exactly what he was staring at. He dropped to his knees and started to sort through the strips. In alarm, Dipper flipped the various pieces around until he was able to recognize a few clumps here and there:

_A pink nose…_

_Rosy dimpled cheeks neatly dotted with light brown freckles…_

_Closed eyes marked with worrisome lines all along their edges…_

_Endless blots covered in green flannel…_

"Oh…" he whimpered upon learning the awful truth. "Oh…nononono….."

Dipper ran his hands through the mounds over and over again, only to have it fruitlessly fall through his fingers. His lower lip trembled at the truth before him: Wendy had been on the tiny ship and made sure to leave her mark; _the paper pieces spread through the base of the liner had been the photograph Dipper held dear to his heart_!

"How…How could she do this…?"

Trying his best to maintain his composure, Dipper attempted to scoop together the countless pieces of the image together, only to find the task to be near-impossible to accomplish.

"It's okay…It's okay…" Dipper calmed himself, letting the sections of the torn memory fall to the ground, "I…I can make another one! Yeah! I'm sure Mabel would let me borrow her copy so that I can…"

As the teen narrated further to himself, he took in the reality of the situation at hand. Dipper sat with his back against the edge of the ship and lowered his head in doubt.

_"But…what good would it do in the end?_ What's to stop her from doing _this_ to the next copy and the next?! Wendy made her message loud and clear: the sweetened scene was nothing more than a faded recollection that she wanted to be deleted from existence.

Dipper covered his face with his hands as he attempted to thwart the tears rising to the surface.

"_Oh…Oh, my Wendy_…"

As he mourned, a strange, yet eerie sound broke through the peaceful natural atmosphere.

*WWHHRRLL*

Dipper spread his fingers and peeked out the openings of his hands, "What is that noise?"

*WWHHRRLL*

He turned his head around, trying to locate the source of the reverberation, only to have his sights blocked by the smog. The clatter grew increasingly louder with every passing moment…

*WWHHRRLL*

Abruptly, Dipper felt something (or someone) pull him backwards. He was nearly sent over the side of the boat. He pulled himself forward, twisting around to try to find what the strange sensation was.

*WWHHRRLL*

"What in the –"

A split second later, Dipper was yanked in reverse once again; this time, whatever had taken a hold of the lad refused to loosen its grip. He struggled to take a few steps forward in an effort to break free. Instead, he was jerked off his feet and into the frigid waters below.

Dipper kicked his way to the surface, releasing a startled, yet girlish "ARGH!" Even with the warm summer air, the Gravity Falls Lake had reached a freezing temperature during the midnight hours. Dipper tried to climb back into the boat, only to feel himself being held back. He dug his fingernails into the solid wood as he attempted to pull himself up. Dipper raised his head barely over the canoe's rim, only to gasp at the sight inside.

Wendy stood before him inside of the boat. The ginger crossed her arms as she silently watched her friend fight to stay topside. In spite of her trademark brown trapper hat covered her eyes, Dipper could tell that his crush's ice-cold green eyes were focused solely on him.

However, he noticed that there was something _off_ about the lanky girl placed in front of him. With all of the time they had spent together, the obsessive compulsive detective studied and admired every square inch of his sweetheart, from the crown of red hair on top her head to the tip of her toes.

This Wendy seemed to be somewhat _foreign_ to his well-trained brown eyes, almost like he was gazing up a sun-faded colored version of his livid co-worker. Dipper released his left hand and reached out towards her, _"Wendy! Help me…please!"_

Her smile widening, Wendy retained her stance and simply shook her head at her cohort's request for assistance.

*WWHHRRLL*

Dipper was tugged off the border as he was shortly dragged underwater; the last thing he saw before going under was the lumberjack sarcastically waving good-bye to her devotee.

"This is it!" he thought, "I'm going to drown out here!"

*WWHHRRLL*

As if by magic, Dipper was pulled from the beneath the depths and started to zoom across the surface of the lake.

"WHOA!" The waves painfully stung Dipper's body as he was ripped along at a dangerous speed by some type of invisible force. "STOP! STOP!" He coughed and choked as he fought to keep his head above water. To him, the experience felt like he had been wakeboarding in reverse and without any equipment

He tried his best to find out where he was heading, but the constant twists and turns of his predetermined path only left him dizzy and nauseated. Dipper saw from the limited vision on his left and right that his next stop was through a rugged patch of reeds sticking out of the chilly water.

"OW! OW! OW!" The battered boy attempted to raise his arms upwards in order to protect his body from being pummeled and paddled by the unforgiving sticks, having little or no effect in the matter. As he waved his arms in an attempt to change his path, Dipper's right hand came into contact with something incredibly peculiar: _there was a razor-thin line positioned directly behind of his body_. He followed the invisible cord to discover that this thing had somehow attached itself to his navy blue vest.

Dipper flailed his arms behind his back in order to unhinge whatever had been secured to him, only to cry out in pain as he was thrust against a jagged edge. Dipper moaned blow by blow as he was weaved around, crashing into a set of seemingly strategically placed rocks and boulders.

"OOF! _Even nature itself has it out for me today!"_

The last blow had sent Dipper spinning in circles, where he was able to catch a glimpse of his final destination: the metallic thread had been pulled onto the mainland and through a way-too-narrow gap nettled between two withered oak trees.

"I'm –" Dipper recoiled, "I'm going to be split into two if I don't do something – and quick!"

Once more, he attempted to remove himself from the deadly collision course, only to find that he was unable to remove the line from his clothing. However, Dipper formulated a new idea. "My vest!" he exclaimed. "I bet if I can get it off…"

He wiggled his shoulders in an effort to slither out of the vest, only to find himself getting caught up every few inches. Dipper could feel his sneakered feet go from free-floating to dragging up against the inclining sediment that rose up from the lake's floor. He knew he was getting close to dry land and immersive dangers. A split second later, Dipper was dragged onto the muddy banks of the lake. The tiny sediments and rocks tore and scratched his flesh as he was pull onwards.

At the last second, the dampened vest was finally pulled from his noodle arms. The momentum sent Dipper flying from the scene. He rolled over the filthy edges until he came to a sprawled out stop in the dirt.

With his last remaining ounce of strength, Dipper raised his head to see the soaked piece of clothing hit the corners of the twin trees with a sickening *SPLAT!* before it disappeared into the darkness.

"Wow…"

Dipper simply stared at the sight before sinking face first into the muck in pure exhaustion.

"That – That could have been me in there…that could have been…"

* * *

><p>The deafening hoots of a night owl made Dipper rise up from his slumber.<p>

"Wait! Not my tongue! Huh?! Wha?!"

He looked around to see that the fog had passed from the lakeside area. Still a bit lightheaded, Dipper warily rose to his feet, only to hear squishing sounds coming from beneath him. His gaze shot downwards, making him take notice that his entire body was caked in pitch black mud. Dipper tried his best to wipe the mud from his frame, only to become disgruntled by his meaningless efforts.

Dipper took a few well-paced steps towards the twin trees in an effort to find out where exactly his plight stemmed from. He examined the area behind the foliage to see his mangled vest caught up in some sort of apparatus. Dipper bent down on one knee to gain a closer look.

He had gotten himself snagged on a form of snare trap. Following the path that he was dragged along, Dipper determined that its line had been deliberately placed so that he would be lugged around the entire proximity of the lake, only to end up a gory mess by the time he finished his journey.

Taking a hold of the blue cloth, Dipper spotted that it was a carefully placed fisherman's hook that bound him to the vicious trap. Removing the catch from his vest, Dipper stood up and started to replay the events of the night in his head. No matter which way he looked at the facts, there was only one obvious solution:

"Okay, I think I get it now: when I sat back on the canoe, I must have gotten myself hitched on this thing somehow. And going based on the style and the set-up of the snare, there's only one person I know whose fishing and hunting skills are more than capable of doing such a complicated task. After all, her family goes camping like every other week…"

Dipper didn't want to believe it. As his eyes grew watery, he hoped and prayed for some other crazy answer; some miraculous, supernatural explanation that would prove him wrong and find his crush innocent. However, the facts were more than apparent…

_"It was her – Wendy was really behind everything tonight! The picture, the note, the boat trap; she planned it all!"_

Cradling his jacket, Dipper staggered around to the other side of the lake, only to plop himself into the awaiting Mystery Cart. Taking a moment to regain his energy, Dipper snapped on his seatbelt and threw the gear into drive.

Before speeding away, he turned around one last time towards the empty boat in the middle of the lake, where the last remaining memory of the duo laid in broken parts for eternity.

"I…" Dipper stuttered as he made his way back towards the Mystery Shack, "_I don't know what to do now!_ Mabel said I could fix this if I just apologized, but after everything that's happened here tonight, _how could there possibly be a way to repair things_? I still can't – she…_she tried to kill me_!"

Having his thoughts and emotions go into a million different directions at once, Dipper forced himself to remain hushed for the moment; the last thing he needed was to flip out and total one of his great-uncle's carts.

As he continued down into the main path back to the Shack, Dipper realized that despite what had just happened, there was still one last dreaded fate that he was powerless in escaping before the night was through:

"Ugh!" Dipper lamented, lifting a mud-soaked arm and watching small puddles splash onto the seat, "There's no way I can get out of taking a bath now!"


	5. Chapter 4

_"I've been changin' but you'll never see me now.  
>(I've been changin' but you'll never see me now)<br>Now I'm blaming you for everything…"_

"So Far Away," by Crossfade

**Chapter 4 – The Broken Bond**

The sun rose over the Oregon skycap as the rest of the world slept in serenity…

…_except_ for a small speck watching the morning begin from a windowsill in a tucked-away, ramshackle cabin out in the wilderness.

An incredibly weary (yet freshly bathed) Dipper Pines kept a constant vigil over the Gift Shop window. As his mind raced a mile a minute, he observed as the brightness of a new day was muted by an upcoming overcast of dark, grayish clouds. The thirteen-year old took the sight as an ominous sign of things to come.

It had only been a few hours since his last brush with death, and yet, the boy wasn't the slightest bit phased by it. Ever since his arrival in the sleepy town of Gravity Falls nearly a month and a half ago, it had become something of a regular occurrence.

However, it was the instances leading up to his peril that plagued his perception. Right after coming from a successful rescue mission involving his twin sister's Mabel pet pig, Waddles, Dipper noticed that someone had invaded the inner sanctum of his bedroom. He hadn't realized it at first, but said person had stolen his most treasure possession: a simple, but incredibly sweeten photograph of his (not-so-secret) crush, Wendy Corduroy, and him adorably nettled in each other's arms while fast asleep.

As the little detective started to panic until the culprit was made known. Wendy herself had left a note for Dipper on his nightstand, demanding for him to meet her by the Gravity Falls Lake if he wanted the cherished item back.

Without a second thought, Dipper hurried to the destination, unsure of what to expect. He knew that things had been rocky with Wendy, especially after what had happened at Lookpoint Point with her now ex-boyfriend, Robbie. At the same time, he pondered when everything would be enough, and things would go back to normal. It might not have been perfect, but he _was_ trying his very best to make it right with the enraged ginger, only have his every effort rebuked.

With this newest "prank," Dipper wondered if maybe the redhead had crossed a unwarrantable line, making him question if things could ever be the same again.

Upon arriving at the Lake, the teenager found he was all alone as a creepy mist rose from the moist ground. The only noticeable detail in the scenery was that a lone canoe had been left out in the center of the lagoon. Fearing the worst, Dipper rushed into the abandoned boat to find no trace of his friend. In her stead, a rather nasty surprise had been left for him; the mere sight bought him down to his knees, and his eyes swell up with tears:

The treasured snapshot, the living embodiment of their special bond, had been torn apart into a thousand pieces and carelessly spread around the base of the vessel. Whipped up into a frenzy, Dipper tried to reassemble the photo from the countless fragments, only to give up minutes later, deeming the problem to be a lost cause; _the damage was too great to repair_.

Dipper sat back against the edge of the boat and contemplated the future. After all of this, how could he ever look his beloved sweetheart in her emerald eyes ever again?

Unwittingly, he had activated the next part of Wendy's plan. Dipper had gotten himself entangled in a form of wire-snare trap, which dragged him from the safety of the craft and into the freezing depths of Lake Gravity Falls.

As Dipper struggled to stay afloat, he looked up to see Wendy standing right in front of him, as if she had magically materialized from the mist. He reached out and pleaded for her to save him, only to watch in horror as she pulled back, crossing her flannel-covered arms and beaming deeply at his situation.

He lost his grip and was painfully dragged through the frozen waters, being bruised and cut by several obstacles, such as rigid weeds and sticks, as well as pointy boulders, as he involuntarily passed through. After a few minutes of struggling to break free, Dipper was finally able to slip through his hitched vest mere seconds before becoming a messy, splattered stain on the woodworks he had been secured to. He landed face first in the slimy dirt, knowing that while he was able to escape a grisly fate, _things would no longer ever be the same between Wendy and him._

Since daybreak, Dipper had sat at the window of the Mystery Shack's Gift Shop for countless hours as he awaited Wendy's arrival. She was scheduled for an early opening shift this morning, and he had decided to stay posted at her usual entrance before the start of her work day.

Counting off the seconds until he faced the inevitable, Dipper couldn't fathom exactly what was going to happen next upon confronting his once-main squeeze? Would Wendy deny any or all involvement of the horrid act despise of the evidence providing otherwise? Would she openly brag about the experience, taking pleasure in the fact that she had successfully wounded her young aficionado in both the physical and emotional sense? More importantly, Dipper asked himself if this act of pure, unadulterated vengeance meant their "supposed" feud was finally at an end, or merely a sign of things to come in the near future.

Dipper nodded off for a second, only to catch himself and resume his position. His spirit was strong, wanting to see this thing through to the very end, but his body was weak, still somewhat battered and sleep-depraved from the night before. Despite being extremely worried about the outcome, Dipper knew he had to see this through to the end. Otherwise, the worry and anxiety alone would drive him insane.

"The last thing I need now is to be caught with my guard dow – AAHHH!"

A pair of hands roughly grabbed Dipper's shoulders from behind, making the twittering child cry out in surprise. In a flash, he was twirled around and pinned against the windowsill. As the world stopped spinning, Dipper looked up to see Wendy Corduroy sternly glaring down at him. His eyes looked past her to see that the door leading to the front room slightly shifted back and forth. The lanky girl had managed to get the drop on him by using the family entrance!

"You and I…" the lumberjack hissed through gritted teeth, "…need to have a long talk about last night!"

Dipper was lost in a whirlwind of emotions. He wanted to yell and scream, demanding to know why Wendy would go so far as to purposely destroy such a priceless memento in an effort to hurt him. He tried to cry out and ask that he meant so little to her that she would risk his life and limb to prove some sort of point.

However, after being surprised in this manner, the youngster found himself at a severe loss for words.

"Gah?!"

"Well, for starters, kid!" Wendy pointed at Dipper's chest repeatedly with her index finger, "You owe me a new flannel shirt and a pair of boots, but that's beside the point!" Confused by her comment, he gave his cohort a quick look-over. Her usual outfit had changed slightly. The green-plaid shirt Wendy usually wore was now a lighter shade, as if it was greatly aged. Her normally mud-stained boots were now spectacularly clean without a hint of dirt and grime to be seen.

"Hey!" Wendy gave Dipper's chin a light love-tap as she noticed his attention drifting away, "Eyes up here!" With his brown eyes locked firmly on her emerald ones, she continued on, "Dude, I'm trying to even…" She gripped his shoulders harder, almost to the point of pinching, "What were you thinking last night, Dipper?! How could you do that to me?! You could have killed me!"

The last statement finally made the voice rise up from Dipper's tiny frame, "Wha – What are you talking…?"

"Don't play dumb, Dipper!" she hollered. "You were there! You knew a train was coming, and you locked me on those tracks so I couldn't get away!"

"No – "

Wendy continued her prodding, "Did you think you were being funny, huh?! Leaving me like that while I begged you to let me go?!"

"Hold on –"

"Did it make you happy to see me freak out?! Tell me, was that your payback for me blowing you off the last few days?!" Her tone rose even higher, "Was your revenge all that you wanted it to be?!"

At long last, all the bottled feelings exploded within Dipper. He swatted away Wendy's finger and screamed back at her, "THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Wendy shrunk back from her tirade, left totally unprepared by her friend's outburst.

"First off," Dipper argued back, using his fingers to count off points, "I haven't the darndest idea what you're talking about! And second, if anything, _you_ should be apologizing to _me_ about yesterday!"

"Excuse me?" Wendy demanded, lowering her brow further and placing her closed fists on her dainty, jean-covered hips.

He pointed up at the girl towering over him, "What else do you think I'm talking about? You know, the little "midnight swim" you had planned for me at the lake? Jeez, Wendy, I knew you were mad at me, but I didn't think…"

"You're nuts! I wasn't anywhere near the lake! I was too busy dodging trains, remember?"

"Well, there must be another six-foot lumberjack ginger running around this town then, right?! You were there!"

"Don't you get all sarcastic with me, you little –"

Suddenly, the swinging door behind them opened as Mabel came toddling out with Waddles following at her heels. She yawned at she stretched towards the sky, "What the hey-hey, guys? What's with all the shouting?"

Dipper and Wendy both turned towards the metal-mouthed girl and pointed at the other, _"(He's/She's) trying to kill me!"_

Mabel giggled at the mere absurdity of their accusations, "What?!"

The two tried to over-talk one another, their voices rising higher and higher as they pleaded their cases to Mabel, _"…meet him at midnight…an empty boat on the lake…got my boot trapped…almost got smashed into these trees…"_

The pint-sized pixie covered her ears as the screeching rang in her temples. Fed up with the noise, Mabel stick her fingers in her mouth and let out a high-pitched whistle, making Wendy and Dipper freeze in place.

"HOLD IT!"

The adolescents watched silently as Mabel padded over to Wendy's station at the Gift Shop Counter. She plopped herself down on the stool and overlooked the duo, as a judge would survey a courtroom from their bench, and attempted to make sense of the circumstances before her. Waddles waited, nettled in the shade beneath the stool.

"Think about what you guys are saying," Mabel beseeched. "You two are like the "bestest" friends out there –"

_"Not after last night!" _They both disrupted at the same time.

"Besides that," she carried on, "The stories don't make sense; how could you be in two different spots at the same time?"

_"Because (he's/she's) lying!"_

"Ugh!" Mabel lowered her head on her hands as she focused on coming up with a new approach. "Well," she raised her sights, "Dipper, you said that Wendy had left you a note to meet her at the lake, right?"

"You got it…"

"Can you show us the note? Maybe we can get to the bottom of this!"

Dipper replied, "My pleasure," as he shot a nasty look at the lofty high-schooler standing next to him. He shifted through the various pocket s of his vest in search of the note that had been left on his nightstand. After a few moments, he pulled the ruffled piece of paper out of his pocket. He walked over to the counter and surrendered it to his twin.

Mabel opened the multi-folded letter and read its context. Her face distorted as she scrolled to the bottom of the page, "Dipper, there isn't anything here but a couple of blurry lines…"

"WHAT?!"

The shocked teen dashed back to the desk and snatched the letter back from his sister. Every word looked as If it had been smeared together in a giant blot.

"But how in the heck – " Dipper lightly slapped the side of his head as he came to a realization. "Of course! I had it with me when I was pulled into the water last night! No wonder it's completely ruined.

Wendy scoffed, "Isn't that convenient?"

The boy turned back around to face his accuser, "Well, then, I guess you'll have no problem showing us your note that I supposedly wrote you, huh?"

"Certainly," Wendy replied. She raised her head towards Mabel, "It should be in the drawer over there, short stuff…"

Following her instructions, Mabel opened the drawer a few inches down and started to explore its contents. After a few moments, she looked up and shook her head, "There's nothing here but your usual stash of candy and junk food!"

Wendy paced past Dipper to meet her co-worker at the worn-out counter. In a fury, she tore through every item, creating a small mess by her feet. Staring at the empty cubby-hole in disbelief, Wendy hurdled past the desk and seized her former comrade by his collar.

"_You_ did this, didn't you, ya little sneak?!" the redhead accused as she tightened her grip. "You went and ditched your note so you'd make me look stark-raving mad!"

"WENDY! STOP!" Mabel implored from behind her.

*Ack!* Dipper choked out, "You – You're doing a good job of _that_ all by yourself!"

Realizing the truth in his words, Wendy let go of Dipper, dropping him to the floor as he caught his breath, straining herself back in absolute ire with an aggravated groan. She had let his actions get the very best of her.

"You know what, kid?!" Wendy acknowledged, pinching the area above her nose and closing her eyes, "I'd hate to admit it, but Robbie was right about one thing: _whenever some sort of craziness breaks out into the world, you always seem to be behind it!_"

"That's not true! I –"

"How isn't it, Dipper?" Wendy lowered herself down to his eye-level, "For whatever really happened last night, all I know is this: _I almost died because of you_…"

Dipper went to speak, only to have no sound come out. His anger was instantly replaced with a sober sadness. In spite of everything that had happened earlier, being labeled as "_Wendy's Potential Murderer_" brought him back to a more temperate state-of-mind.

"Wendy, I…" Dipper strove to reach her, "I don't know what to say…I mean, come on! Do you really think I would hurt you?"

Reacting to his now-calmed state, Wendy pulled herself back, and crossed her arms, "I – I dunno. I would have said "no" without a doubt, but after everything's that happened this last week, I – "

"You see!" he glanced back at his sister, who hung on their every word. "This is what this whole thing's been about!" Dipper turned to face Wendy, "I'm getting sick and tired of having the whole "Robbie thing" being thrown in my face over and over again!"

Wendy narrowed her eyes at the teen, "What?! Now, you don't think I should be upset about that?"

"I'm not saying that! At the same time, I have been trying my best to try to make it up to you and – "

"Oh, really?" Wendy questioned. "Tell me this then, Dipper; let's stop beating around the bush; _are you even the slightest bit sorry about you did that night_?!"

Dipper looked past Wendy's shoulder to see that Mabel was trying to signal him by waving both her arms. She quietly mouthed to him, _"This is your chance! Tell her you're sorry!"_

However, a ball of hurt and resentment still resided deep within Dipper's miniature structure.

"No…I – _I'm not_…"

The little color that had risen to Wendy's face vanished. With a hushed quiet, she gradually stood back up and peered downwards in shock of what he had just said.

"How…How can you even say that…?" Wendy trailed off as the full effect of Dipper's admission had taken its effect on the fifteen-year-old.

Mabel lowered her head unto her little palm in disappointment as she inaudibly moaned to herself, "Oh, Dipper…no…"

Seeing that his words had greatly injured his crush even more so than he expected, Dipper tried to do some damage control, "I wish I could have done things differently, but what did you want me to do? I couldn't leave you like that with him…"

As soon as Dipper finished his sentence, the wrath within Wendy erupted once more, "Like what, Dipper?"

"You know what I'm talking about! He hypnotized you with that weird black CD…"

"There wasn't a single thing wrong with me that night! Don't you think I would know if I were being brainwashed or whatever?"

"Well, no!" Dipper corrected. "That's kinda the whole point of brainwashing; the brainwashed aren't supposed to know that they're being brainwashed in the first place!" He paused for a second to reconsider if he had used the proper syntax in his explanation, "Or is it supposed to be "brainwashee…"

"Either way," Wendy cut him short, "That isn't the reason that I broke up with Robbie, or even why I'm mad at –" The gingered teenager stopped for a split second, "You – You just don't get it, do you?" She revolved around to address Mabel, "It's just like we were saying the other night: _he just doesn't get it_!"

"The other night?" Dipper gaped at his sister with an astonished look on his face, "Is that what you girls do when I'm not around? You talk about me behind my back?"

Mabel nervously yanked at her sweater as Wendy blushed about accidentally ratting her confidante out, "Gee, is it just me, or is it getting hot in here?"

"Alright, fine!" Dipper stormed past Wendy and approached Mabel's make-shift bench, "You wanna talk hurt feelings? Let's talk about hurt feelings!" He spun around to face his complainant, "Why don't you tell us about what exactly you did in order to get me out to the lake in the first place?"

Wendy raised an eyebrow at his question, having no idea to what she was being accused of.

He started to explain, "Mabel, while we were off saving Waddles, Wendy broke into our room and stole the photo of us together!"

"_Photo of us together_?" Wendy repeated in confusion as Mabel gasped aloud.

"When I got to the lake, I found it torn into a million little pieces…"

Despite her alarm, Mabel tried to convince her brother otherwise, "I don't know, Dipper. I just don't think Wendy would do something terrible like that…"

"Yeah!" Wendy jumped to her own defense, "And what photo? I don't remember ever taking one of just you and me…"

Dipper began to clarify, "It was from that one day we spent at the arcade for my birthday. It was a photo of us asleep in each other's arms, and –"

She remembered how much trouble she had gone through to try to make the day extra-special for her friend. After going through half of the games there, Wendy recalled passing out in exhaustion alongside Dipper as she experienced _the most life-like, vivid dream that she ever had in her whole life_! A few hours later, the two were awoken by Mabel and Robbie, who ensured them that the adventure was anything but real.

Even now, merely bits and pieces of the fantasy lingered in the back of Wendy's mind; random, blurred images that couldn't be connected together in a sensible way. Regardless of what she knew about it, the only thing that she could _feel_ was that it had made her _somewhat closer to Dipper in an indescribable way_.

Nevertheless, upon hearing Dipper's detailing, Wendy somewhat backed away from the boy trying to pour his heart out over his forever-lost memento.

"Dude," she exclaimed in disgust, jumping to the wrong conclusion, "You take creep-shots…_of me_?"

"No! It's not what you – " Dipper waved his hands back and forth as he struggled to come with the right words to calm Wendy's mistaken worry, "I didn't – You see, Mabel was the one that took the picture, and she – "

However, the redhead maintained her position, "You have _your sister_ take creep-shots of me?! That's even worse!"

"It's not like that at all! If you'd only listen –"

Wendy held out her hand to halt his progress, "Don't! Just –" She drew back as an uncomfortable moment of utter stillness filled the room. "You know what? 'Thinking about it, _this whole thing is my fault…"_

Mabel and Dipper shot a confused look to one another before returning their attention back to Wendy.

"When I first met you, Dipper, I thought you were different from other guys. I really did! At the time, you seemed more mature and grown-up than you looked, but seeing you now…"

"What – What are you saying?"

Without a single hint of satisfaction or pleasure in her voice, the plaid-donning young adult simply hung her head, focusing on her unusually clean boots, and replied, "Mebbe it was all a mistake; having you hang out with me and the other guys, letting you get so close…"

Despite Wendy trailing off, Dipper fully understood the point she was making. As Mabel nervously watched with her sweater covered arms blanketed her face, he stepped forward and looked up to meet her eye-to-eye, "You don't really mean that, do you? After everything that's happened?"

Wendy broke the eye contact and maintained her silence.

Dipper threw his arms open, "What about the other day? All that "birthday-stuff" you did just for _me_? You went on and on about how much you care about…" Dipper stopped for a moment to wipe his eyes, "Wendy, you're like my best…my best fri – "

Not having the courage to face him, Wendy rubbed her right shoulder as she spoke how she truly felt at that moment:

_"Maybe I shouldn't have…"_

He noiselessly repeated her words to himself, trying to make sense of the mere phrase, before responding, "And what about _that other stuff_? _When we were in the game_? Does all that mean nothing, too? Like…like when we kisse-"

Wendy broke her self-imposed saddened state and blew up at the brown-haired speck, "IT WAS A DREAM, KID! NONE OF IT WAS REAL! WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEAD?!"

"Why?!" Dipper shouted back, "'Cause Robbie said so?!"

"O – Okay, guys…" Mabel tried to intervene, "Maybe we should take a break. Y'know, cool our heads…?"

"Because _I_ said so!" Wendy countered. "_He_ doesn't have a thing to do with _us_ right now! Let me give you some free advice, Dipper: maybe if you didn't spend every day living out there in La-La Land, unable to tell the difference between reality and fantasy, people wouldn't see you as a weirdo, and just maybe, you'd be able to make friends your own age! Honestly, it's so _immature_, not to mention _stupid_!"

"Stupid? _I'm_ stupid?" Dipper threw both hands back to highlight himself, "No, lemme tell you what's stupid. _Stupid_ is someone who goes along with the crowd even when they're warned time and time again that their butt will be on the line! Case in point, let's say not leaving a certain haunted convenience store be. _Stupid_ is going around and thinking watching a moron put up huge gratified muffins is a fun time! _Stupid_ is taking the word of _said moron_ _every single time_ no matter what terrible things he has done over that of someone that would do literally anything for your sake!"

"Y – You guys…are starting to scare me a bit…now…" Mabel admitted from her side of the room.

Dipper stood on his tip-toes to meet Wendy nose-to-nose, "Now, who does that sound like to you?!"

Fluttered by his attack, Wendy found herself only able to let out a series of stutters, "I…I…"

"You what?!"

As her anger fully came to a boil, Wendy pushed back with a roar from the bottom of her lungs:

"I HATE YOU!"

Dipper shrunk back in shock as Mabel let out a horrified gasp before covering her mouth. Despite saying the terrible phrase herself, Wendy pulled back in revelation of her own actions before seemingly accepting it. Her pain and outrage had been kept calmly bottled within her gawky frame until she was finally pushed past her breaking point. Her face morphed from regretful to severely serious; a purposely given sign to her former pal that she had meant every word.

"I…"

He felt ill. Dipper knew that he had driven his love to this, but at the same time, the injured boy never expected to hear those three words come falling out of her mouth _ever_. He looked over at Mabel, whose distressed expression nearly matched his. Straight ahead, Wendy still fumingly glared downward as she waited for his response.

"Well…I…I…" His valor rose once more to combat his heartbreak; Dipper jumped up and held his ground, "I HATE YOU, TOO!"

"S-Stop it, you two!" Mabel entreated, almost as upset as the pair before her was, "_Please_…"

However, the damage had already been done.

"GOOD!" Wendy barked out in reaction.

"FINE!" Dipper blasted back.

"GREAT!"

"GRAND!"

With their bond completely broken, Dipper and Wendy each stormed off in a different direction, both desperately trying to hide the fact that were teary-eyed.

Stopping at the Gift Shop's exit, the boy turned to warn the ginger just as she reached the door leading towards the Pines family's living room, "Just remember the next time something super-crazy comes to get you, I'm not going to be there to get you out of another jam!"

Wendy spun around on her heels, "I wouldn't ask for your help in the first place! But the same goes for you. When someone picks on you, or there's a really, really high shelf that you can't reach, remember that you're on your own!"

*SLAM!*

"Wait," Mabel asked. "Guys?!"

*SLAM!*

"Who's going to watch the Shack?!"

With both teenagers gone, the defeated girl sighed aloud. Mabel had no choice; until Soos arrived later that morning or Stan finally awoke from his slumber, she was the only one available to man the Gift Shop register. Slumping down on the wobbly seat, Mabel hung her head silently, her mind still replaying the despairing scene as she raided Wendy's secret stash of junk food, splitting the spoils between herself and the antsy pig waiting at her feet.

* * *

><p>In a clearing in the middle of the Gravity Falls Forest, the two devilish forms bent down, bowing on one knee as a huge transparent purple form pixilated out of mid-air. They lowered their heads as they awaited their newest orders from their master.<p>

"The plan is coming along nicely…" the armored villain reflected. "The bond between the two warriors has been severed. With those weaklings detracted with their petty matters of the flesh, my power has been able to grow tremendously. It is only a matter of hours before I am strong enough to bring my armies into this world!"

"Yes, sire…"

"However…" the monster's metallic eyes shone as he plotted his next course of action, "There is one small detail I cannot overlook…"

Both creatures raised their heads in confusion. They looked at each other, and faced towards, "Sire?"

The Emperor revealed a razor-tipped claw from beneath his magenta-colored cape. A split second later, a spark of electricity formed on his fingertips, only to spread out towards the confounded servants. They screamed in agony as they were sent flying into the distance. As they squirmed on the ground in anguish, their leader made his intentions known.

"Under whose orders were you to try to kill the children?! My command was to have them turn on one another, not to risk their lives!"

Regaining some of her strength, the female form raised her head to answer, "We're sorry! It's just that we thought if we got rid of those two, we could take their place and live like – AAAHHH!"

Her justification was rewarded with another well-placed zap, "That's your mistake, child: you _thought_. Remember this: you are a tool who's only worth is through my dominion! You are nothing more or less!"

Seeing his counterpart withering in pain, the male rose up and attempted to turn on his creator, "You –"

The girl reached up and halted his progress, "_No…don't_…" He stopped as his gaze focused on her pleading eyes. Held in place, the male could only look ahead in dismay while the Emperor looked upon his creations with pity.

"Hmmph…" he sneered as he pulled the iron fist back under the cloak, "Despite being made by my own hand, you still manage to have some of _their_ disgusting human traits. How utterly pathetic…" He turned around, preparing to vanish back into the atmosphere, only to stop at the last moment.

"I shall give you one last chance. The two are divided; now they need to be conquered. Let me make this absolutely clear: _they are to be taken alive_. I intend to show them that there are worse fates than death…"

As the beast vanished into the darkness, the duo was finally able to make it back to their feet. As they regained their balance, the threatening voice boomed throughout the empty Oregon woods:

"I have no intention of ending up like that fool, the King of Thieves. Do not fail me this time, or I promise you, I will ensure that you shall suffer an even worse torment than what I have planned for your earthly counterparts…"


	6. Chapter 5

_"And I am feeling so small.  
>It was over my head,<br>I know nothing at all.  
>And I will stumble and fall.<br>I'm still learning to love.  
>Just starting to crawl."<em>

"Say Something," by A Great Big World.

**Chapter 5 – The Way Our World Ends**

"What am I even doing out here?"

The very last thing Dipper Pines wanted to do at the moment was wander around in the middle of nowhere. If anything, he wished that he was back at home in the Mystery Shack, curled into a tiny ball in his warm bed as he cried his eyes out at what had just occurred a few hours ago.

"I HATE YOU!"

The raised voice of Dipper's once-secret-crush, Wendy Corduroy echoed endlessly throughout the hollows of his mind. A living nightmare come true, the boy sighed to himself as he was forced to face the cold, hard facts: _he had driven possibly the greatest person he had ever known out of his life forever_.

Dipper could only replay the fateful scene and highlight his every mistake. Normally, he would have shrunk back at being attacked, especially by someone that he'd never expect, such as his gingered best friend. However, this time was different. Perhaps it was the stress of the almost-deadly trap he had fallen into the night before. Maybe he was finally fed up with having his nerves shot over what had happened at Lookpoint Point with Robbie V. Either way, Dipper had given in to his anxiety and anger, enabling him to go toe-to-toe with the furious redhead. By the time both teenagers had said their peace, feelings were hurt, bonds were broken, and each had fled from the Mystery Shack teary-eyed.

He was at a loss for words over the matter. What more did Wendy want from him? What was it that he simply couldn't see? Other than the impromptu bowling invitation, what was it that she (and Mabel) waited for him to apologize for?

"Sure," Dipper admitted to himself, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't glad that Robbie was outta Wendy's life, but at the same time, was I supposed to leave things be? Just forget about what was hidden on that record, and leave her vulnerable and alone in his clutches?"

He raised his head to the sky and wondered exactly what the world expected from him.

Dipper shook his head in an attempt to shoo away all of the emotional turmoil. It was such that clouded his mind from seeing the current events in a scientific, practical matter. He could have sworn that he had seen his lumberjack sweetheart that night, seconds before being plunged into the Gravity Falls Lake. Oddly enough, Wendy had claimed been accosted by someone alleging to be him on the other side of town.

Perhaps if they weren't blinded by their resentment, they could have seen that something was wrong with this scenario instead of taking cheap shots at one another.

For this, Dipper found himself in the Gravity Falls Rail Yard, the site of Wendy's so-called attack, going up and down the tracks in search of any form of evidence that could shed some light on what truly happened. In spite of all of the hurtful things Wendy had said, or even how she felt about him now, Dipper could sense by the tone in her voice and the appearance of her glowing emerald eyes that there was a form of sincerity there.

"Either that," Dipper concluded. "Or she was going through some sort of mental breakdown…"

Nearly two hours had passed since Dipper had begun his search and he hadn't discovered a single clue. "Why am I doing this? Even if I find anything out here, what difference will it make? Either way, Wendy will still hate my guts." He asked if something was to come up, would he be content with being proven innocent, or simply toss the new-found truth in his cohort's freckled face.

He instantly regretted his snide comment; just another item to add to the on-going list. Dipper considered himself to be just as terrible in this circumstance. Granted, Wendy did tell him she hated him first, but he didn't have to return the favor. It had been a trivial, immature response to being told the worst possible thing that a loved one had ever said to him.

Despite her shouting, Dipper could easily tell that his comment wounded Wendy just as badly as she did to him. As he stormed out of the Gift Shop, the teen could see that the lanky girl was left on the verge of crying…

_"…just like the other night, right?"_

"Grr…" Dipper forced the negativity from his thoughts. This was why he was out there in the first place. Even though the chances were very slim, the mini-detective had to be sure that there wasn't anything that he had missed. For some reason, there was a lingering feeling in the back of Dipper's mind that he just couldn't shake.

"What the - ?"

Dipper sprinted down the path as his brown eyes made contact with an unusual obstruction amongst the worn-out metal bars. A mud-cover brown boot, nearly torn in two, was left embedded in the train tracks. He bent down for a close examination.

"Hmm…" Dipper tugged on the ruined shoe to see it was firmly pinned between the two iron rails. He traced the path of the tear with his fingertips, "It goes along with where the ankle – _her ankle_ – would have been…"

The thirteen-year-old lifted his head to see another curious sight: tattered remains of a green flannel were wrapped around the rail switch across the way. He stood up and curiously walked over to the control, poking and prodding at the mechanism. After pulling the rod backwards, Dipper watched as the metal beams parted at long last, releasing the captive boot as it split into two.

He gulped at the possibilities as Wendy's story repeated in his brain. Things were starting to come together; something did happen there last night, to which his partner in crime barely escaped with her life.

"But the question that remains is _why_? Who would want to purposely hurt Wendy? And why would they want her to think that _I_ did it?"

As if to answer him, an eerily-familiar voice called out to Dipper from behind, "Oh, come on, now! You pretend to be Mr. Know-It-All! Shouldn't you have already figured this out by now?"

Dipper slowly spun around, only to freeze up at the sight before his eyes.

"Whoa…"

* * *

><p>"I shouldn't be out here in the first place…"<p>

Wendy Corduroy pulled up to the dock at the edge of the Gravity Falls Lake. Securing her canoe firmly to the pier, she carefully climbed into dry land. Contemplating on the recent events, Wendy dangled her feet into the cooling waters beneath her; the icy feeling eased the painful, swollen mark on her right ankle.

As soon as she left the Mystery Shack, the fifteen-year-old hopped onto her fire-engine-red bicycle and with tear-soaked partial vision, blindly peddled deep into the Gravity Falls Forest. It didn't matter where the next destination was for as long as it was far, far away from this awful place.

After aimlessly riding around the wilderness for nearly an hour, Wendy figured that there really wasn't any other safer haven for her to go besides the sanctity of her own bed. The slender young adult slithered by her male-dominated household without being acknowledged in the slightest, in spite of the fact that she was silently sobbing to herself. Even though part of her didn't want to be bothered, the idea that her crushed feelings had been utterly ignored by _all_ the men in her life yet again made Wendy lose more faith in humanity.

Crashing down onto her bed, Wendy buried her head deep into her pillow. She closed her moisten eyes, trying to ignore that she was hopelessly surrounded by the dreaded symbol of her once-secret admirer: an orange comforter covered in baby pine trees. Wendy wept into her cushion until her lifted her head in realization:

_"This is exactly what I did last time…"_

With a loud, somewhat messy *SNIFFLE*, the lumberjack princess flipped over onto her flannelled back, stared up at the splintered ceiling, and reflected on the past week in general…

* * *

><p>After the incident at Lookout Point, Wendy walked away furious at both of "her boys." However, as the minutes passed, the once pleasant summer breeze had become a bitter frost. She clutched herself tightly as she involuntarily shivered heading through the woods. The teardrops traveling down her freckled face felt like ice. Wendy could barely see while enveloped in the darkness of the forest; thankfully, she had every path memorized like the back of her hand, so low visibility was barely a factor.<p>

Before she knew it, Wendy found herself stumbling up the handcrafted porch leading into her house. The whole trip home had been a complete blur; her mind had been preoccupied by far more depressing matters.

Closing the heavy door behind her, Wendy leaned back against the entry and slumped downwards. She lowered her head onto her raised knees as she continued to quietly bawl into her plaid shirt. After a few moments, the muddled ginger looked up in embarrassment, figuring that her family must be viewing in awe as to why she had come bursting into the room, only to collapse into the floor in a watery mess.

To her surprise, Wendy discovered that she was all alone in her parlor. She could hear the raucous and hearty laughter of her three brothers in the next room over. At the same time, the redhead couldn't make out the booming shouting or snoring of her enormous father; a small sign that the giant lumberjack hasn't returned home from his nighttime ventures. It was there and then that she realized that during what was probably _the worst night of her young life_, no one in her family noticed or _even cared_ that something was wrong.

Wendy shortly forced herself up the staircase leading to her bedroom. Making sure that the door leading outside was sealed tight, she simply fell straight into bed as the thought of being all alone in the world made her want to cry even more. Letting her mud-stained boots dangle from her socked feet and hit the floor with a hushed thud, Wendy raised her head towards the window, where despite the harsh cold outside, the stars hung throughout the sky still seemed to shine exclusively for her, just as they did at the beginning of the night.

As she continued to reflect upon the confrontation with Robbie and Dipper, Wendy shortly found her thoughts spreading out to every other failed relationship with a male in her life. She let out a heart found groan as she asked aloud:

_"Why does this keep happening to me?"_

Wendy understood the perceived role applied to her by society's less-than-fair standards: she was the town lumberjack's teenage daughter; the local, seemingly-invincible tomboy of local legend. Did that mean that it was wrong for her to have hurt feelings or to feel resentful when she felt wronged?

Her green eyes shifted back to the telephone stationed on the nightstand besides her bed. Any second, Wendy expected it to be ringing off the hook with endless calls from Robbie, begging and pleading for forgiveness. She anticipated hearing the sound of tiny pebbles tapping away at her windowsill, only to see Dipper outside, ashamed and willing to make amends in any way he could.

Despite waiting patiently for countless hours, Wendy didn't receive an answer on either front. The forlorn adolescent had never felt more alone in her short life than at that moment…

* * *

><p>Wendy sat up from her bed. She had no intention of wallowing in half-slumber being held hostage by her emotions for days on end. The young adult could not get the image of her defiant devotee out of her head. Even though that she would admit that she had purposely said the worst possible thing she could to Dipper – <em>the worst thing that she had possibly said to anyone ever<em> – the last thing Wendy expected was for him to actually fight back

_"I – I HATE YOU, TOO!"_

She figured that she didn't have any right to feel bad, especially since her sentiment wasn't any better, but yet, it had strung her just as hard. However, something didn't seem right with his story. Amongst the short amount of time she had known the younger Pines twin, Wendy could easily take note of all of the nervous ticks and mannerisms of her friend, especially when placed into a nerve-wrecking situation. _This Dipper_ was almost totally different. When being accused about what happened at the rail yard, he didn't budge a single inch when insisting towards his innocence.

Wendy also wondered about that business at the lake that Dipper had mentioned. She knew that the little sleuth had made a ton of enemies during his stay in Gravity Falls, but how many bad guys looked exactly like her?

Fed up with all of the questions loitering in her mind, Wendy lowered her legs to the ground and decided to head out towards the Gravity Falls Lake. While it would be a far way from repairing the damage caused between Dipper and herself, at least she would be able to clear her name and find out what the hubbub had been about.

The gingered lumberjack shuffled her legs through the cooling pond, noticing that her toes were becoming pruny. Her findings had left her even more confused than when she began her search. The only thing she found out of place was a solitary craft in the middle of the pond, with a smaller paddleboat at its side. Oddly enough, the inner liner of the ferry was filled with _piles of shredded, multi-colored paper_.

"But what does this all mean?" Wendy asked herself, recollecting her socks and boots, putting them back on one at a time; she had ditched the oversized footwear earlier, fearing that an accidental slip into the lake would weigh her down into the murky depths. "I can't make sense of any of this!"

A sinister cackle surrounded Wendy, making her twist around in trying to find out where it was coming from.

"Who would have "thunked" it? The kid _was_ right! I guess you aren't as smart as you look!"

Wendy jumped to her feet and immediately heightened her guard, "Who's there?! Show yourself!"

As the laughter grew louder, the series of bushes out in the reserve each began to shake. The redhead put up her dukes, ready for anything that the world was about to throw at her. However, the distant, recognizable voice gave her goosebumps all down her long-limbed body.

Suddenly, a shadowy figure came out from the darkness. The gangly form staggered out from the shrubbery with its arms crossed, walking slowly yet confidently towards the stunned girl. Wendy's eyes widened at the incredible sight, making her lower her fists in disbelief.

"It can't be! You're…"

* * *

><p>Dipper raised his hands and backpedaled away from the stranger that appeared out of nowhere.<p>

"You're…You're _me_!"

The boy sneered at Dipper as he started to circle around his prey, "You could say that, but then again, I would consider myself a vast improvement over the original…"

The miniscule detective studied his stalker from head to toe. Spotting the same white and blue pine tree trucker cap as he wore, Dipper saw that his doppelganger had the exact outfit as him, from the dark navy blue vest to his black sneakers with short socks.

"His colors are off," Dipper noted. "It's almost like he's bleached or something like that. It makes me think of…"

"Don't you worry, Dipper," the replica jeered, "I'm not one of your cheap clones from the copy machine." He patted his chest proudly, "You're not going to be able to get rid of me with a splash of water."

"What – you're a mind reader?!"

"No," the copy admitted. "We just share the same mindset. Anything that you'd think of, I'd probably thought of hours beforehand. "It's like I said before: _I'm a faster, stronger, and smarter version of you!"_

"You're a smarter…" Dipper stuttered in disbelief. "NO!" He shook his head in disbelief. "It was you, wasn't it?" He pointed straight at the monster, "YOU attacked Wendy! If you were anything like me, you would never lay a hand towards her!"

"A few things to remember, Dip," the clone warned. "First off, she's _your_ Wendy, not mine! And if anything, _you should be thanking me_! Especially after the way she treated you about this whole "Robbie" thing. Heck, if you think about it, that wasn't the first time that she threw you away like an old toy, wasn't it? Running her down with a freight train was probably _the best thing I could have done for you_!"

"Insane…That's insane! To think that I would –"

"And second," the double raised his hand, showing off another finger to illustrate his point, "Like I said before, that ignorant, self-centered gingered hick is NOT _my Wendy!" _His wicked smile only grew deeper, "I believe that you met _her_ last night…"

The mere mention sent Dipper into a frenzy, "Wait a sec, you mean that…"

* * *

><p>Wendy walked carefully towards the figure standing before her, "You're…"<p>

"I'm _you_…" the girl replied as a smirk grew across her dimpled face, "At least, a better version of you!"

The teen overlooked the invader from top to bottom. The creature was an exact clone of herself! It had the same lengthy red hair; the same freckles in the exact spots they were supposed to be; even its green flannel shirt and mud-covered boots resembled the ones that were ruined the night before at the train yard. The only difference that Wendy could spot was that something was wrong with the overall color of the being, as if it was left out in the sun for a long time.

"What are you?" Wendy demanded, going back on the defensive, "Some sort of crazy stalker or something like that?" She held her hands up, "Look, sister. I'm really not in the mood for whatever weird thing you got going on…"

"I don't think you grasp the seriousness of the situation here," her twin explained. "I'm not some sort of tag-along trying to copy your style_. I'm your replacement_. Soon enough, the world will come to recognize me as Wendy Corduroy, and no one will be the wiser." She winked at Wendy, "After all, not even your precious, little Dipper was able to tell the difference, was he?"

"What does Dipper have to…?" Wendy paused as the puzzle pieces started to form in her head, "You're the one Dipper was talking about! YOU tried to drown him!"

The Wendy-clone let out a chuckle, "Guilty as charged, but question is, does it even matter? Think about it, did you actually care when that kid begged you to believe him? Of course you didn't! Deep down, that's who you really are!"

"That's not true, I just –"

"Pffp!" the evil-doer cut her off with a raspberry. "You can't lie to me! I AM YOU! I feel everything that you do! Your love! Your hurt! Your joy! Your sorrow! Every last thing! I know how much you care for him, and how he literally tore your heart into two! He wounded you worse than the stupid goth did, and you know it!"

The menacing mirror image crept ever closer. Greatly intimidated, Wendy found herself frozen in place.

"You wanted him to be taught a lesson for everything he's done. I simply obliged your darkest desire…"

Wendy finally found her voice, "If you were really me, you'd know that's the very last thing I've ever want. No matter what that little guy would ever do, I couldn't stomach the thought of a freak like you killing him!"

"Hmmph!" The reproduction sounded unimpressed by Wendy's dedication, "Fight it as you like. In a few minutes, it's not going to matter anyways…"

"What do you mean by that?!"

The imitation held her hands behind her back as she leaned forward threateningly, "You're not the only one with a little sidekick lapping at her heels. As we speak, he's making sure that Dipper isn't a problem to you, me, or anyone else for that matter ever again!"

_"A sidekick?!"_ Wendy thought to herself. "What kind of –" She stopped dead in her tracks as the awful truth became apparent, "_There's a second Dipper_! _He's the one_ that attacked me last night!"

"You – You witch!" The infuriated redhead pulled her fist back and delivered a punishing hook to her clone's extended head, "If you think I'm going to let you creeps hurt him, then – OWWW!"

A rush of tremendous pain flowed through Wendy's hand, forcing her to recoil in agony. She glanced down to see that her right limb had turned a bruised red.

"What was that?! It felt like I punched a concrete wall!"

Wendy looked ahead to see that her copy wasn't even the slightest bit fazed by her counter. The supernatural being simply cocked her neck back and chortled in amusement. However, the blow had left its mark. A thin cut ran down the spotted check; Wendy narrowed her green eyes at the usual sight in front of her:

Instead of oozing red blood, a series of flowing pixels came flowing forth from the injury. The bizarre spectacle opened a window within Wendy's consciousness. _She had seen something like that happen before_.

"But where?" she asked herself.

Countless images flashed before her; scenes that she had believed to be nothing more than fragmented dreams played out with precise detailing: _being pulled through the arcade cabinet screen by the kung fu guy from Dipper's favorite game; racing from gaming world to gaming world in search of her missing friend as well as a way out; watching Dipper and Robbie duel in a simulated hand-to-hand battle while she was hung helplessly dozens of feet above the ground; fighting neck to neck with Dipper against the greatest evil the gaming universe could muster – the final obstacle between them and their last escape!_

Wendy remembered leaving the arcade with Robbie, turning around to see Dipper staring at her, his brown eyes as big as saucers, pleading with her not to believe the dishonest goth, imploring her to please stay with him. She placed his tiny hand in hers, and smiled, asking him to trust her; _that nothing would be forgotten nor would ever be the same between them_.

The Wendy-clone nodded along with the newly-recovered recollections, as if she could read her thoughts as they came to pass.

_"Oh, man…it was real! It was all real!"_

Growing somewhat frantic, Wendy retreated away from her newly-revealed foe, "You're not human! You're some type of monster from one of those games, aren't you?!"

The immoral girl snapped her fingers. Abruptly, the air behind her started to terra-form, spreading out into small patches of formulating pixels. The blocks quickly spread out into various shapes. When the dust cleared, an army of henchmen formed behind the deriding fiend.

Wendy gulped at the motley crew that set her in their sights. White-robed lizardmen unsheathed their swords in preparation. Camouflaged masked warriors spun their chain and sickles with expert precision. From the soft earth, half-human, half-cockroach beings rose up, buzzing and clicking at their enclosed quarry.

"It's quite a shame, Gwendolyn," the replica commented, as her group closed in on Wendy. "If only you'd listen to him in the first place, maybe then you would have had a chance to save this world!"

* * *

><p>"…there's a Wendy clone, too?!" Dipper squeaked in disbelief.<p>

"Yep," his doppelganger prided. "That's my baby-boo! And when you two are wiped from this world, we will blissfully take your place and live our lives to the fullest!"

_"Your lives?!"_ Dipper questioned. "You're stealing what's rightfully ours, and –" He shook as he tried to comprehend the horrid fate the mysterious life form had in store for him and his crush, "And I don't even know what you are! Are you magic? Some sort of shadow brought to life? What is your deal?!"

"My, my, so many questions, and so little time…" The Dipper-clone snapped his fingers, making a colorful cloud appear out of nowhere. The boy squint his eyes, only to repel backwards upon seeing the truth:

"_It's not a cloud; it's millions and millions of pixels_! Like what you'd see in a video game…"

Dipper flashbacked to when his redheaded sweetheart and him were at their closest, ensnared inside of the trap Rumble McSkirmish had set for them. He had seen the same imagery a dozen times before: when the gaming universe wished to alter something to its preferences, like a spontaneous costume change or as a defeated enemy vaporized into midair.

"You're…from the arcade!" He tripped over his tongue, "But _that's impossible_! Mabel destroyed the "Fight Fighters" machine! How did you break into the real world?!

"…and the last horse crosses the finish line…" the Dipper-clone mocked, breaking out into a laughing fit. A wave of horror overcame the small lad as he heard the hilarity grow in numbers!

From out of the vapor, a small battalion of demonic creatures came forth into the world. Pumpkin-headed imps with rows of jagged teeth playfully juggled their razor-shaped blades with one another. Small elfish beings rolled themselves up into tiny balls, bouncing about menacingly in place. Hunchbacked barbarians donning worn blue armor looked up at the surprised boy with sad, glowing eyes while tightly clutching their dulled swords underhand.

"You might as well as give up, Dipper," the depraved imitation warned, "You're outnumbered, overpowered, and seriously outclassed at every turn!"

Left with no other options, Dipper realized that his only chance at survival was to plan a hasty retreat. He immediately spun around and dashed towards the train car graveyard in hopes of eluding his persuaders. Growing breathless, Dipper ducked behind an immobilized freight as a voice called out in a sing-song fashion:

"Dip-per? Oh, Dip-per? Come out, come out wherever you are!" The tone came closer, "Don't you worry; this won't hurt one bit…"

The cornered teenager peeked around the edges of the freight to try to find which direction the band was coming from.

"If it makes you feel any better, you'll be able to see Wendy again before our master does away with you two. Come on, man! Don't you want to tell her "good-bye" before it's too late?"

In all of the commotion, Dipper had nearly forgotten all about his one-time secret love. She was as much a part of this as he was, even if Wendy refused to believe this was real. Was her life in danger as well? He kept in mind how Rumble and the other digital villains threatened to devour Wendy's life force, believing that they would gain the strength to break through the virtual barrier and become living, breathing beings by doing so.

"But, wait," Dipper concluded, "That doesn't make sense. These things are _already_ here in the real world, so what could they possibly want with her – _with us_? And who is this master he's talking about?!"

Either way, he knew that if the villains were to overtake him now, there wouldn't another chance to figure out what was happening yet alone be able to stop it!

*HHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSS!*

Dipper looked around, trying to locate the source of the ear-piercing sound, "What is that?!"

All of a sudden, a ghoulish head popped up from beneath the car Dipper was leaning against. The elfin rogue hissed, exposing its venomous fangs at the startled lad. Dipper flinched at the manic red eyes glaring at him, only to notice a moving blue blur at the last moment.

"BAH!"

He dropped down to his knees, painfully scrapping them on the loose gravel that made up the ground. Dipper looked up to see that he had just missed being struck by the dull dagger of one of the barbarian ogres.

"No, you fools!" The Dipper-clone shouted from the distance. "ALIVE! We need him alive!"

Finding himself pinned once again, the brown-haired boy scanned the area for any means of escape.

*WOOOH! WOOOH!"

The dirge of a thunderous horn boomed throughout the empty lot. Dipper looked over the horizon to see that a lone train was slowly making its way towards town. A gleam of hope entered the heart of the defenseless child as he noticed that the doors of the boxcar were left wide open.

"If only I could reach it, the train could take me back home. There would be no way those things could catch up…"

Relying on pure instinct, Dipper nodded to himself and dashed towards the slow-witted indigo giant. Before the colossus could react, the tiny teen slid beneath its legs, and sprang up, bolting towards his last chance at freedom as it continuously sped down the rails.

"You idiots are letting him get away! Stop him NOW!"

Dipper didn't dare look back at his chasers. His knees ached like crazy. His lungs felt as if they were on fire. Nonetheless, he persisted towards his goal, sprinting on the balls of his feet. Running aside the open caboose, Dipper hesitated for a split second, making sure to judge the correct distance, before exhausting the last of his energy with a leaping grasp at the opening.

His midsection collided with the edge of the freight; Dipper's sneakers dragged against the ground as he struggle to pull himself onto the freight. With a strained groan that rose up from his chest, Dipper pushed up and rolled into the empty car, colliding with the metal wall inside.

Feeling completely drained, Dipper remained upside down as he laid still caught his breath. He closed his eyes, the gentle vibrations of the train offering a form of comfort to his weary body as he tried to figure out what to do next…

* * *

><p>Wendy took a pace back, only to catch herself at the last second. The mysterious copy and her lackeys had forced her to the last peg of the wooden dock; another inch would drop her into the bottom of the Gravity Falls Lake. Faced with no other choice, the ginger decided to toss all caution to the wind; if she was to go out like this, then she would like a true Corduroy…<p>

"Y'know," Wendy informed her copy, "Even though you claim to be exactly like me, you just made a serious mistake; one that's definitely going to cost ya…"

"Oh, really?" the ringer answered, placing her hands on her hips, "And what's that?"

Wendy met her clone face-to-face, "No one, and I mean NO ONE; not Dipper or even my family…"

The lumberjack delivered a lightning-quick knee to the counterfeit's bread-basket, making it keel over in shock.

_"…gets to call me Gwendolyn!"_

Seeing that she had an opening, Wendy hopped up into her clone's shoulders, and into the crowd behind them. Despite her kneecap swelling up because of the hardened blow, she jumped from head to shoulder blade and onwards until she landed behind of the swarm.

Taking a look over her shoulder, Wendy watched as the minions wandered confusedly, unaware of what had just happened.

"Ugh!" the Wendy-clone moaned, trying to recover, "Seize her, you morons! Don't let her escape!"

Without taking a second glance back, Wendy raced towards the forest. The stomping behind her served as a reminder that her attackers were directly in hot pursuit. Narrowing between the mighty timbers, Wendy raised her sights to the green skylines above her.

"Just maybe….taking the high road would give me a better chance…"

The athletic redhead leapt to the highest plateau, using the faltering branches as narrow steps. Wendy leaned back against the mighty redwood, the color of her outfit providing the perfect natural camouflage. She glanced down to see the invaders running pass underfoot.

Hoping from tree to tree, Wendy searched around for her one hope at escaping her pursuers. Her red mountain bike was safely nettled against a tree trunk a few tree over. Figuring that she was already out of danger, she skipped to the next timber, only to have her boot slip off of the next branch. Wendy wrapped her upper body around the bough a split second before she started her descent

"OOF!"

She bit her cheeks in an attempt to silence herself. The last thing that she needed was to give her position away. The teenager tried to pull herself back upwards, only to find that she was unable to lift her foot a single inch. Wendy turned around to see that a thick chain was wrapped tightly around her right ankle. She followed the links back to the ground, leading to the hands of one of the masked henchmen.

"OVER THERE! SHE'S UP IN THE TREETOPS!"

The menace yanked harder on the line, hoping to drag the evading girl down to earth. Wendy clutched the stem tighter, sending it painfully into her chest. She fought to kick her leg free but the chain had snagged her firmly; its blade had missed her soft flesh by mere inches.

*THWANG!*

Wendy's green eyes focused on the new object in front of them. It was a mini-dagger belonging to the lizardmen; quite possibly a lost projectile that had missed its mark. Gripping the branch steadfastly with one arm, she removed the embedded rapier, and with careful accuracy, hurled it at her captor.

As the weapon hit the henchman, it began to flash an array of different colors before exploding into a pile of pixels.

"Whoa!" Wendy thought to herself, "It's just like what happened to the bad guys when we were inside of the game machine – but I'm still in the real world…"

_"Aren't I?"_

Now seated on the branch, Wendy pulled up the long strap and unwrapped it from her boot. Hurling towards the tree where her bicycle was parked beneath, she threw the cable around its trunk and used it to quickly slide downwards. About halfway down, the sickle blade became caught in the wooden depths, forcing the determined girl into the soft bushes below.

Somewhat dizzy by the fall, Wendy stumbled towards her vehicle. She buckled her helmet as she peddled away from the now-dangerous wilderness.

"AFTER HER! WE CAN'T LET HER GET AWAY!"

Wendy swerved between the trees until she found herself back on the set trail. Unsure of what to do at the moment, the cautious high-schooler decided it would probably be safest to head towards town rather than take her chances all alone in the woods…

* * *

><p>Dipper sat curled in a small ball as he watched the world pass him by from the open door of the moving freight car. Gently rocking himself back and forth, the thirteen-year-old tried his best to come to terms with what had just happened.<p>

"As if things couldn't get any worse," he lamented. "Evil clones, video game monsters invading the real world…" Dipper raised his head to the sky, wanting to beg and plead with the fates to why was _he was continuously punished over and over again for a mistake that he wasn't exactly sure he made_!

The vague comments made by his wicked double made Dipper focus on his redheaded co-worker. Why did he bring her up in the first place? What did the mastermind controlling the clones want with them? Was Wendy in as much danger as he was?

Despite his mixed feelings, Dipper thought about jumping off the moving platform, and hurrying towards Wendy's cabin out in the woods and warning her of the impending danger coming.

_"I wouldn't ask for your help in the first place! But the same goes for you. When someone picks on you, or there's a really, really high shelf that you can't reach, remember that you're on your own!"_

Wendy's words during their heated argument came back to haunt him. "Even if she didn't hate me, Wendy still believes that everything was a dream! I have no idea how I could get her to talk to me, yet alone try to convince her that all this stuff just happened!"

The gears started to turn in Dipper's head as he quickly formulated an idea, "Well, chances are, after cooling her jets for a while, Wendy probably headed back to the Shack for the rest of her shift. I can stay close and keep an eye out for any other weird stuff without her being none the wiser…"

He let out a depressed sigh as the degrading plan made him nostalgic for the old days, when the spitfire ginger would believe anything that came out of his mouth.

"It may not be much, but for the moment, it'll have to do…"

*BANG!*

Dipper rose to his feet, looking around for where the sound was coming from.

*BANG!*

He peeked outside of the train, only to find nothing threatening. The empty countryside was replaced with the small shops and buildings of civilization. He was back at his summertime home of Gravity Falls. Relieved, Dipper turned back around, only to be attacked by an entity shooting out of the darkness.

"AAAHHHH!"

The frightened sleuth fell from the train onto a small, green hill. He rolled head over heels, becoming heavily coated with grass and dirt until landing excruciatingly at the very bottom. Staring up at the sky in a daze, Dipper could make out a black, flying object darting towards him at an alarming speed. He moved away at the last second, and simply stared at the far-fetched display in front of him.

A grey-haired hawk flapped its wings in perfect harmony as it surveyed over the tiny adolescent with dark, pupil-less eyes. Its razor-sharp talons were pointed outwards, ready to pounce on top of the earthbound lad.

"I was pushed out of a train…_by a bird_?!" Dipper mused. "_What kind of sick mind thinks of this sort of thing?"_

All of a sudden, Dipper recoiled as a series of strings traveled alongside his back. He spun around to see another eagle, a blackened variant, with its claws covered in fluff and shreds of his navy blue vest.

"Wha…"

The two birds rose into the sky, circling their selected prey, and exchanging a series of squawks. Without any warning, they drove down in conjunction, each making Dipper skip away bit by bit.

"Now, wait – hang on a sec – this isn't fair!"

Left without another option, Dipper took off towards town in hopes of finding some type of safe haven from the flying menaces overhead. Hearing the afternoon sky grow all too quiet, he looked behind him for an answer…

*CRASH!*

* * *

><p>Wendy sped up as she finally made her exit from the Gravity Falls Forest and entered the small township considered to be their "downtown." As she passed by the various buildings, the girl felt a sense of relief, thinking that the creatures wouldn't dare attack in such a populated area. Her thoughts shifted to that of her former companion.<p>

"I gotta - *HUFF-PUFF* - I gotta talk to Dipper! He'll know what to do – how to deal with these -"

Wendy stopped in mid-notion, as she realized that wasn't an option anymore.

_"Just remember the next time something super-crazy comes to get you, I'm not going to be there to get you out of another jam!"_

The flannel-donning lumberjack figured it to be just her luck that something of this caliber were to happen during the one time she had a spat with Dipper. While Wendy could easily fend off anything the gaming world could toss at her, she had no idea on where to begin in finding out the source of the problem or how to rid the world of the menace permanently. Usually, her young admirer would have the know-how on doing such amazing tasks while she provided him with much needed muscle for backup.

Thinking more and more about their previous adventures made the freckled-face girl realize how big the pine-tree-shaped hole in her heart really was.

"Maybe," Wendy plotted, "I can always head for the Shack and act like I'm going back to work or something like that. I'm sure that for whatever's going on, Dipper's probably ten steps ahead of these guys…"

Her mind quickly turned negative, "What if he won't listen? Things definitely _did _get messed up between us; I wouldn't be surprised if he tells me to go get lost….NAH! This _is_ Dipper we're talking about! He's way more mature than to –"

A green shadow jumped down from a nearby rooftop, landing a few feet in front of the speeding bicyclist. Wendy swerved to the side at the last possible second, letting out a distressed shriek.

*SCREECH!*

Spinning off course, the super tall teenager had crashed into a fire hydrant, sending her flying over the handlebars and onto the cold, hard concrete. Luckily for her, the thick helmet on top her red crown shielded her from any serious trauma.

"Aw, man…" Wendy bemoaned, "Everything hurts!"

She sat up, the various scuffs and bruises making their stinging presence known, and struggled to remove her headgear. Wendy let the helmet drop to the floor, grabbing the side of her head as it pounded loudly. She opened her eyes to see someone approach her.

"Thanks, but I'm okay!" Wendy held out an arm to maintain her personal space, "I just had a wicked wipeout. Give me a sec, and I'll be back on my –"

The figure continued in her direction, regardless of her request. Wendy looked upwards to see that it was a green-wrapped ninja wielding an extended katana sword. Its pure white eyes narrowed themselves on the fallen redhead attempting to make it to her feet. Three more warriors dropped down besides it, each giving off the same intimidating stare.

Without a second thought, Wendy regained her balance and took off in the opposite direction. She ran down Main Street, surprised that no one seemed to be around to see the madness chasing after her relentlessly.

"Where is everybody?!" she asked herself. "It's like they knew to head for the hills before trouble came!"

Wendy turned around to how far behind the ninjas were when suddenly…

*CRASH!*

Knocked the ground for the second time in a row, Wendy rose up to see what exactly she had bumped into this time. At the other side of the street, her former friend Dipper Pines laid groaning with the breath knocked out of him.

"DIPPER?!"

At the sound of the familiar voice, Dipper threw himself up to confirm his suspicions.

"WENDY?!"

The duo stood up at the same time as they tried to over-talk one another:

"Are you alright?! What is going on?!"

Seeing that they were getting nowhere, Wendy held up her hands to halt the over-excited boy, "One at a time!"

"Wendy, you gotta listen to me," Dipper warned. "Something's bad coming this way! We have to get out of here before it's too late!"

"No kidding!" she replied, "I have a whole band of ninja-freaks trailing me and –"

Wendy stopped in mid-sentence as something caught the corner of her eye. An expression of pure and utter horror quickly overcame her dimpled face.

"What?" Dipper asked, "What is it?!" He turned his head to see that the two factions of video game themed minions had merged to become one vicious mob!

"C'mon!" Dipper seized Wendy by her hand, and started to head in the opposite direction, only to be halted by another group of monsters. The two teenagers were completely surrounded!

Trapped, Dipper and Wendy found themselves back-to-back as the fiends moved in even closer. Still gripping the minuscule detective's hand tightly, she asked with a hint of sincerity in her voice, "You…You do have a plan to get out of this mess, right? I mean, you always do with these sorta things…"

"Um," Dipper confessed, somewhat embarrassed "…not really."

"Where did all of these things come from? And what do they want from us? What did you do?!"

"I'm not sure. They seem to be following – HEY! Wait a sec!" Dipper pulled his hand away from hers, "What makes you think this is _my_ fault?!"

"Hold on; I didn't mean it like that! It was a slip of the tongue!"

"Yeah, right! I'm sure that's exactly what you meant! These guys are after you too, you know!"

"What?! Are you trying to say that _I_ did this?!"

_"ENOUGH!"_ A horrifying roar ricocheted throughout the empty street, bringing the bickering between the two former friends to a halt. The sky above them instantly grew a grayish black. The once-sunny and bright day was replaced with thunder and lightning within mere seconds. The ground shook violently beneath their feet; a small, but deep crack spread out in their direction, as if to purposely separate them from one another.

Their eyes focused on a circle of small flames that appeared out of nowhere. The tiny blazes slowly came together, revealing a threatening giant of a figure donning metallic armor from head to toe. Its pointed helmet concealed its face, showing only soulless colorless eyes that centered solely on the prey in front of it.

As the being touched down to the earth, it pulled what appeared to be a colossal sword from the flowing magenta cape on its back. Dipper quickly studied the blade, unsure what to think about its unique structure, "It…doesn't resemble anything remotely human. _It's almost reminds me of an oversized tooth, like if it was crafted from a dragon's fang or something like that_…"

"Even _now_, in your final hour," the Emperor bellowed, "I find you overly-concerned in your disgusting, ever-some petty human feelings!"

Without taking her emerald eyes off of this newest foe, Wendy whispered downwards to Dipper, "What is that thing?"

Doing the same, Dipper leaned closer to his crush, "I think…_that's their leader_! The one that made all of these guys in the other dimension!"

"I look at you," the demon ridiculed, rotating its blade with great skill, "And find myself asking, _"This is the great team that overthrew some of the worst that my world had to offer?"_ You two, whom were so easily manipulated and deceived?"

From behind the hulking figure, the Wendy and Dipper clones appeared, each sporting a sinister smile, only to stand at a side of their creator.

The adolescents' eyes widened at the appalling sight, _"There really was two of them!"_

"Heh!" the evil dictator laughed at their surprise, "It was far too easy to have my creations come and break the bond that links you together. Take no solace in the fact that it was not _I_ who has defeated you, but 'twas _your own mistrust and reservation of one another that has not only doomed yourselves, but your entire race as well_!"

Wendy and Dipper remained silent. Finding some truth in what the villain said, they glanced at each other, only to look down at their feet in humiliation and regret.

"If only you were wise enough to look beyond your matters of the flesh, you might have seen something wrong with the outside world, as my power grew, and my armies invaded into your world piece by piece. However, you do have my extended thanks for that, for without you, children, the gateways bridging our dimensions would have never been opened in the first place!

"Wait," Dipper asked, "What did we –"

"Now, hold on a second, pal!" Wendy argued, "I didn't open anything – "

Ignoring their inquires, the dictator narrated on, "Nevertheless, my time, as well as yours, is growing thin…" Thrusting the massive sword into the firm ground, he extended both of his arms and snapped his fingers.

Two portals materialized into the atmosphere; one behind each of the teenagers. Wendy and Dipper immediately recognized the odd sights, "It's like the ones we used to get around in the game!"

"The time for playthings has passed. Say farewell to each other, children, for _this will be the last that you shall see of one another_!"

Without warning, the surrounding horde swarmed over the defenseless teenagers, pulling them apart and dragging them away in different directions

"NO! Let go of her! WENDY!"

"What are you – get your mangy mitts off of him! DIPPER!"

Inches away from their individual portals, both friends looked over at the other. As their eyes met, they knew that there was little they could do to stop what was going to come next. Sharing the same mindset, they called out over the roar of the crowd, hoping that each would be able to hear their final words.

"DIPPER!"

"WENDY!"

As they were thrown into their respective portals, one last mutual sentiment was shouted out from each side:

"I'M SORRY!"

Upon claiming their victims, the portals evaporated back into thin air, the Emperor gripped the handle of his sword, "Now that that matter's taken care of…"

He raised the chaotic rapier into the air, "We begin our conquest of this sordid world. Our first achievement: the takeover of this mountainside village!"

A series of applause, cheers, and howls erupted from the mob, as the sleepy town of Gravity Falls remained unaware of the imposing danger that was positioned to strike.


	7. Chapter 6

_"They came from the sky, and they came from the sea.  
>They came from the inside of the television screen!<br>Babies of bastards, breeding as one.  
>The fate of Earth is doomed! I quit! I'm done!<br>Some kind of darkness come creep over me.  
>On what legal meat does our Caesar do feed?<br>So we could never be this free?"_

"I Don't Wanna Be (A Superhero)," by Roadrunner United

**Chapter 6 – Invasion**

It had been a mildly pleasant summer morning for the small, sleepy town of Gravity Falls, Oregon. The gentle breeze flowing throughout provided a refreshing relief to the smelting sun raised overhead.

As per the usual flow of the day, nearly every seat was filled at the local favorite eatery, Greasy's Diner. It was a little past the lunch hour and numerous residents waited in excitement for their most desired entrees and snacks.

The proprietor, "Lazy" Susan Wentworth, sped up and down the aisles with absolute perfection. As if through mechanical clockwork, she flawlessly juggled platters filled to the brim with steaming hot food, picked up messy, half-eaten plates, and shoved the generous, well-appreciated tips left on the tables for her into the pockets of her apron.

The job was definitely more than trying at times, but when the elder saw the satisfaction on her patrons' faces (as well as their content from having their stomachs pleasantly filled), she knew that all of her hard work was well worth it.

Clearing her hands, Lazy Susan pulled out her pen and notepad, and leaned over to listen to the next upcoming order from the table before her.

"So," she croaked cheerfully, "What'll it be?!"

Just as the customer opened his mouth, a massive rumble came from beneath the ground, making everyone in the establishment freeze in place. Concerned murmurs started to rise up as the consumers looked around for an answer.

"What was that?!"

"It felt like an earthquake!"

"An earthquake? All the way out here? That's impossible!"

As the crowd started to calm themselves, another tremor rocked the diner. Cracks formed through the thin windows on the wall. Countless articles of china rattled from the various tables and violently crashed into the splintered floor.

A third vibration, stronger and louder than the last two made it apparent that the shaking was not only growing greater, _but coming closer towards their location_. A moment later, the noise was literally on top of them!

*CREAK!*

All eyes focused on the ground as the floorboards began to budge with a sickening groan. With a violent thrust, a huge, hulking object came bursting from the ground. A myriad of high-pitched screams rang out through the tiny restaurant, destroying the remaining glass articles in the process.

A giant yellow-green centipede had risen from the damp earth. It looked down upon its prey, wiggling its endless amount of legs wildly, and tilted its head back, letting out an ear-shattering roar before crawling out of the hole completely.

The clientele crowded towards the exit of the diner, pushing and shoving each other out of the way as they dashed out of the stuffy restaurant. Lazy Susan backed away from the monster nearly frozen in terror.

"Wha…What in the world?"

From behind the counter, the chef had seen that his kind-hearted boss was in the deadly creature's sights. Gripping his butcher knife tightly, the loyal employee leapt the barrier and dug the blade into the centipede's side.

The beast let out a pained cry, only to begin to glow various neon colors wildly. Seeing that he had an opening, the chef sprinted pass the behemoth and stood at his employer's side.

"What's….that thing doing now?"

"Not sure, boss, but whatever it is, it's probably not good!"

The two watched as the centipede changed its color to a purplish blue. It wailed aloud once more, as something started to form from its waist. A mixture of colorful pixels poured from its wound as another set of howls entered the chaotic scene.

The oversized bug split from one enormous centipede into two slightly smaller ones. The fiends aligned by one another as they stared down the stunned co-workers.

"There's _two_ of them now?!"

Backpedaling, but not yet willing to give up her pride and joy so easily, Lazy Susan looked around for anything that could used to drive back the threat.

"The silverware!" exclaimed the cook. "Use the silverware!"

They each picked up an armful of supplies and began to hurl the items are the vicious vermin. Surprisingly, the centipedes dodged the projectiles with alarming speed.

"They're…" Lazy Susan squawked, "…faster than before!"

"Keep trying!"

After several attempts, each worker was able to successfully nail the creepy-crawlies. As with the last time the centipede was struck, the menaces began to seize up and alter their colors; this time into a reddish orange tint.

Seconds later, _four_ centipedes were climbing up and down the walls of Greasy's Diner at lightning speed. Seeing that her companion was continuing to attempt battling the danger, Lazy Susan grabbed his arm.

"No!" she warned. "You'll only make more!"

Left without any other option, they fell back towards the exit door, "I'd hate to do this, but…"

The duo fled from the diner, leaving the humble establishment to the colossal insects that were bent on making the rustic building into their new hideaway…

* * *

><p>A hearty sigh echoed through the deathly silent Gravity Falls cemetery.<p>

_"…Wendy…"_

The slender gothic form known as Robbie V. let out another exhale as he endlessly studied the photograph that he held in front of his pocked face. He had spent hours analyzing the image of his redheaded ex-girlfriend, chalking her every finest detail to memory.

The black-donning teen lowered the treasured possession onto his hooded chest marked with a broken, sewn-up heart as he closed his eyes and tried to think of the good times: the instances where her simple smile would light up his seemingly gloomy demeanor; how his lamest jokes or a quick tickle would instantly make her release that oh-so contagious laughter.

His mind quickly shifted to that fateful night about a week ago. Wendy had caught him in the middle of another lie, and with her patience finally worn thin, she opened the passenger door of his van, and slammed the door on it – and him forever. The furious scorn the ginger wore as she turned towards the Pines kid and his great-uncle was burnt into his sub-conscious.

The mere thought of the boy had ruined his life immediately turned his sadness into pure hatred. Robbie cursed everything and anything that bore his rival's stupid nickname, from the constellation that was hung across the night sky to those delicious frozen chocolate treats with the fruit filling on the inside.

"Bet that little punk's so happy…" Robbie bemoaned, "….thinking he has Wendy all to himself…" He placed the photo back inside of his hoodie pocket, remembering the pure joy that overcame Dipper's face the exact moment Wendy had broken up with him; something that he was more than sure that the little brat had replayed over and over within the confines of his own mind.

"I swear, he won't get away with it! One day, I'll – I'll –"

Robbie lowered his head back onto the soft ground, watching a dark overcast pass through the sky. He knew, deep down, for whatever sort of vengeance he could unleash upon the teenager that had wronged him, it wouldn't bring Wendy back into his life. Here he was, hiding away in one of the empty graves just outside of his parents' home/funeral directory while _the two partners-in-crime were out and about in the world, possibly having the time of their lives_.

"Sometimes – I wish the Earth would just open and shallow me up!"

As if the universe had heard his half-baked plea, a pair of mangled red limbs rose up and wrapped themselves around the heartbroken goth's waist, making him screaming aloud as he struggled for freedom.

"AAAHHH! I didn't mean it! I didn't really mean it!"

Using his sneakered feet to press against the brown soil, Robbie was able to pry himself free from the ghoulish arms. He turned around, his back against the earthly wall, as he watched the buried appendages frail around in vain as they searched for their escaped prey.

"O – kay!" Robbie tried to comprehend the sight before his eyes, "I've been down here plenty of times, and _that's_ never happened before; especially in a grave that hasn't been filled _ever_!" He placed his barely-gloved hand under his chin as he pondered further, "_Something's definitely up_…"

Fearing what would happen if "whatever-that-was" was to fully rise from its resting place, Robbie began to scale the gritty walls back to the topside world. Upon reaching the mid-point, a hand reached down to aid the shaken adolescent in his ascension.

"Whoa," Robbie greeted, making a firm hold of the hand before him, "Excellent timing!" He turned around to see something unrecognizable making its way to the top of the grave's flooring. Climbing out of the hole, the goth looked forward to further thank his rescuer, "Seriously, you couldn't have come at a –"

Robbie choked on his words as he saw he was clutching a decaying, severed hand. It squirmed and bounced of its own concord in his grasp.

Letting out another shriek, Robbie inadvertently threw the arm away, bludgeoning it against a nearby tombstone. The hand melted into a green, gooey mess before vaporizing into a pile of pixels and into the atmosphere.

"Wait…I've seen that happen before…"

A wave of familiarity swiftly overcame the confused goth. The unusual sight reminded him of _his other secret_; _of all the terrible things he had done the first time he believed that the young sleuth was trying to steal his beloved sweetheart away from him…_

Robbie's attention soon heightened as he spun around to see a small battalion of separated hands, slowly using their fingernails to edge closer to avenge their fallen brethren.

*AARRGGHH!*

A series of tortured groans rang throughout the abandoned graveyard. Robbie looked past the open grave and towards the rolling fields. A legion of shambling undead shuffled their way across the countryside towards the scared teenager. Their welting flesh drooped downwards with every step. Their saddened eyes focused only on the lingering sight before them. The disgusting stench stemming from them nearly made him lose his lunch.

Without a second thought, Robbie dashed away from the horrific scene, not caring where his next destination was, as long as it was far enough from all of the monsters that had come across him.

"I can't prove it," he glanced over his shoulder, ensuring that he was ahead of his pursuers, "But I know _he_ has something to do with this! I just know it!"

*HOO!*

All of a sudden, a purple flash jumped out from the distance, landing inches in front of the fleeing goth. Robbie skidded to a stop as the being stood up from its hunched position, shortly towering over the cowering boy.

The demon threw back its long, cylinder-like skull, exposing a shiftless jaw with rows of jagged, pointed teeth, complete with waggling tongue. Two yellow eyes narrowed downwards as its pure black pupils grew in diameter. It swatted at Robbie with shorten, but powerful arms with razor-sharp claws, making him twitch in nervous agony as it released another haunting battle cry before ascending back into the air:

*HOO!*

* * *

><p>"No! Not like that! Do it the way I shown ya!"<p>

"Manly" Dan Corduroy threw his fishing rod down onto the boat's floor in a fit of rage as his three boys watched on with nervous caution.

"But, Dad," the eldest Corduroy boy complained, "There's something wrong out there! I think the fish…_are different somehow_!" He displayed his own pole, which looked as if something had taken a bite out of it. "See?!"

"What?!"

Fully enraged, the hulking lumberjack lunged his muscular arm deep into the blue depths in search of the culprit. It was such trying times that made Manly Dan ecstatic that his daughter was a bit more skillful and independent in her athletic efforts. However, his disappointment shortly returned upon remembering how Wendy preferred to spend her free time alongside delinquents or those freaks in that bucolic shack out in the woods rather than with her family.

After a few moments, the giant tightened his grip, pulling his quarry up to the surface and onto the boat's barren bottom. All four males peered down at the odd sight before them with raised brows.

A small red fish bobbled around helplessly as it attempted to find its way back to the water. The abnormal guppy was unlike anything they had ever seen. A long, yellow mohawk traveled from the top of the head to the middle of its back. It flapped tiny white wings positioned on its sides almost like it was trying to fly out of the way of danger.

Manly Dan watched as the fish's bulbous blue eyes locked solely on him, never once wavering in the slightest. It softly moved its lips, letting out a hushed cry: "_Cheep – Cheep_!"

The spooked outdoorsman shook his head clear, and looked towards his boys, whom waited for his response, "You see, my children?! Nothing to it!"

Wanting to further prove his dominance over the defenseless creature, Manly Man clutched the aquatic life form and started to plummet it endlessly, inciting a round of cheering from his children: "DAD! DAD! DAD! DAD!"

The woodsman let out a shocked gasp as after a couple of well-placed blows, the tiny fish seemed to melt away into a puddle of multi-colored blocks and dots. The Corduroy boys grew silent as their father pulled away from the spectacle, "What in the world –"

Suddenly, the Gravity Falls Lake began to bubble and boil in response to the fish's demise. The strapping men looked around the secluded body of water for an answer to exactly what was causing the disturbance.

The sound of incalculable splashes reverberated through the forest. The hunters raised their heads in awe to see that _dozens_ of the winged sea-life launched themselves into the air! They waved their little wings as they aimed towards their tormentors.

In spite of the overwhelming odds, Manly Dan stood tall. A creepy smile spread across his bearded face as he turned around to call his sons to arms, "It's just as I feared. The fish revolution is upon us! The time is now, my boys! Stand and fight with me!"

Motivated by their father's encouraging speech, the three adolescents rose to their feet, and followed in his example, punching and kicking their way through the downpour of flying fish. The unfortunate victims bounced back into the lake, where they disappeared into a pile of pixels while letting out their disheartening cry: "Cheep –cheep! Cheep-cheep! Cheep-cheep!"

Making their way through the hazard, the Corduroy boys celebrated their victory over nature as their father prided over them. "You see, lads?" he asked, flexing his massive muscles, "There's _nothing_ you can't conquer with a little elbow grease and –"

The lumberjack was cut off as one last spray could be heard. A colossal shadow was cast over the men, bringing their cheering to a sudden stop. The four pairs of eyes looked to the sky to see that an oversized flying fish floated through the sky! It looked down, the blue angry eyes filled with discontent at the slayers of its children. As it slowly descended towards the panicked fishermen, it let out a defiant battle cry, making it known that their trespasses would not be tolerated:

_"CHEEP-CHEEP!"_

As his jaw dropped open at the sight of such overwhelming odds, Manly Dan turned once more towards his children, who waited for any sense of guidance. He pointed into the distance and started to bark a new set of orders, "RETREAT! Row, my children! Row!"

The three Corduroy children immediately sat down, oars in hand as they worked in conjunction in order to escape the vengeful beast before it came crashing down upon their simple vessel…

* * *

><p>"WOO! WOO! WOO! WOO!"<p>

"Deputy Durland! Now, what did I tell you about wasting all of your ammo like that?" Sheriff Blurbs reloaded a new clip into his standard-issued pistol. He peeked out from behind the police cruiser he and his partner had taken refuge behind and slowly took careful aim at the menace in the distance before squeezing the trigger.

*POP!* *POP!* *POP!* *POP!*

An entire row of proceeding purple creatures had been pixilated out of existence, out to be quickly replaced by two sets of sky blue counterparts. Behind them, another brigade made up of green _simple-looking bug monsters_ descended from the sky, speeding their way towards the earth as they let out a chant of "_Beep-Boop-Beep-Boop_."

"You see?"

"Oh! I getcha!" The Deputy reloaded his weapon, and following his mentor's advice, planned his shots accordingly. Despite taking a few misses, he was successful in eliminating nearly half of the newest set of mini-monsters.

"Darn it!"

"There, there…" the Sheriff placed his hand on his friend's shoulder to comfort him, "You did a lot better this time."

"It's not that," Durland explained. "I think these things are _moving faster than the last batch_!"

"Hmm…" Blubbs pondered the Deputy's claim as he clicked his chamber. He popped up from behind his cover and let out another barrage of bullets. Durland was right! Despite taking his time, half of his bullets missed their mark; some of the projectiles even collided with the green set bringing up the rear.

As he slumped back down to refill his weapon, the Sheriff remembered how they got caught up in all of this craziness. The two officers were making their usual rounds around town when they were flagged down by a group of distressed citizens in the center of town. As the two left the safety of their cruiser, they asked the assembly what was the matter, only to be directed towards the sky.

"Look! _Outer-worldly invaders_! _From space_! They're heading this way! RUN!"

The Sheriff and Deputy looked up as the crowd disbursed. An army of block-looking insect fiends made their way into the planet's atmosphere. Seemingly defying gravity itself, the intruders marched bit by bit, inch by inch closer to the earthbound plane. Their dotted eyes remained solely focused on what was before them.

*PEW!* *PEW!* *PEW!*

The raiders let loose a series of short laser blasts, prompting the cops to duck and hide behind their patrol car for cover.

"Shots fired! Shots fired!" Blubbs shouted into his walkie-talkie, "Requesting immediate backup!"

"Uh, Blubbs?" Deputy Durland questioned, "Aren't _we the only two officers_ in town?"

Realizing that his cohort was right, the Sheriff sat back and sighed, "It's times like these I wish we did more recruitments…

The two remained in that same spot for nearly a half-hour, taking turns between on firing upon the scourge and bouncing back into cover to stock up on supplies.

"Hey, Blubbs?"

"Shoot…"

"This may sound crazy, but doesn't this all seem _kinda familiar_?"

"How so?"

"I mean, no matter what we do, they just keep coming and coming. I dunno, it just reminds me of something when I was little; something I used to play with…"

From behind his dark sunglasses, Blubbs's eyes lit up upon hearing that particular mention, "You know something? I was thinking the exact same thing…"

The blaring sound of an alarm entered the the heavens, completely blanketing the small cries of the bug-like cretins. The policemen glanced from their hideaway to see that a floating red spaceship cruising along the skyline.

"Hey, Blubbs! Whatdya think if I nailed that thing? It might be some sort of mothership that'll stop the others from coming!"

The portly patrolman shrugged his shoulders, "Couldn't hurt…"

Holding his pistol closely, Deputy Durland closed one eye and lined up the sights of his gun with that of the saucer. He gently squeezed the trigger, only to watch as the ship exploded into a million little red pixels!

"I got it! I got it good!"

"Great job, buddy!" his superior officer congratulated with a pat on the back.

However, to their horror, the destruction of the alien craft only sped the predetermined course of the shiftless beings.

*CLICK! CLICK!*

"Hey, partner? I think I got a problem here…"

The Sheriff tried to fire his weapon, only to find out that he had the same dilemma.

"I'm all out of ammo, too!"

Now defenseless, the police officers looked up to see that the invaders were literally on top of them; their endless gibberish made their skin crawl. Left without any other option, they hurled their pieces at the swarm, and bolted in the other direction, screaming at the top of their lungs and arms flailing wildly as they headed for the nearest point of shelter…

* * *

><p>"What?! Are you kidding me? "<em>Three<em>" was the best one ever. The greatest 8-bit title of all times! It laid the framework for what all modern-day platforming games are based on!"

"You're out of your mind! "_World_" was everything it was and more! Better graphics! Multiple exits to a single stage! That awesome little dinosaur guy! There's no doubt…"

It had been a while since the brothers that helped run the Arcade in downtown Gravity Falls had enough free time to freely have a debate about classic gaming. Roughly a month had passed since they agreed to aid their friend (and on-and-off again protector) Wendy Corduroy in planning a surprise to an unknown "_special someone_" in her life.

For this, the gingered teenager asked if there was any way that she could secure the entire complex to herself (and her gentleman caller) for the duration of the entire day. At first, they were hesitant to grant her request; that was, until the ever-so-plucky girl presented her trump card – a direct line to her friend, Tambry.

The boys came in the next morning and retrieved their keys from the hiding spot that Wendy and they had originally agreed upon. However, they were instantly floored by the mess that awaited them!

The overhead lights flickered on and off without rhyme or reason. All of the video screens were stuck in a rolling, static-filled fashion as their memory units were apparently wiped clean. Bluish-colored chocolate birthday cake was smeared across several parts of the floor. Worse of all, someone had spilled what appeared to be soda-pop into the "Fight Fighters" arcade machine, short-circuiting it out of functionality.

After being chewed out by their father, the rightful owner of the Arcade, for what seemed like an eternity, the siblings were charged with giving the family business a complete overhaul. Circuit breakers were changed. Light bulbs were replaced. Floors were scrubbed and polished. Nearly every inch of the Arcade had been painfully gone over with a fine-toothed comb until it was brought to a sparkling condition.

However, after everything had been said and done, the brothers deemed it all had been worth it to obtain a real girl's phone number!

The argument was interrupted by a massive earthquake. Luckily for the two, nearly everything had been bolted down to the floor to prevent any further damage to the establishment.

"Wha – What in the heck was that?!"

A second quaver rocked the Arcade, forcing the teenagers to hold each other as they trembled in terror at the events unfolding before their eyes. The walls began to flash every possible color possible; they realized moments later that the source was none other than the displays of the vintage video game machines. The brothers leaned over the register to see that row after row of arcade cabinets flickered and sputtered uncontrollably until everything boiled to a head as a bright light soon overcame the entire complex.

The duo shielded their glasses-covered eyes as they attempted to get a better look at the sights at hand. A stream of multihued pixels excreted from each machine only to join together into one massive rainbow-like stream. The form stopped right in front of their counter, as the unnatural beam began to break into individual pixel piles. The groups promptly took shape as the boys' eyes widened at the spectacle.

A myriad of characters they easily recognized from their beloved video games came storming into the real world! The variation of different beings made into reality were simply too many to take note off; the workers watched in awe as bipedal killer turtles, flying squids, barrel-toting gorillas, crawling all-too-happy slimeballs, and sword-carrying skeletons amongst others made their way past them without the slightest of acknowledgment.

The fanboys would have been openly geeking out over the events at hand if only _they didn't fear for their very lives _at that particular moment.

Suddenly, a robotic silver samurai donning purple warrior garments broke away from the crowd and approached the check-in where the brothers had hoped to be a safe haven. The evil presence narrowed its red eyes at the startled high-schoolers, pointing a razor-blade covered arm straight at them.

"LEAVE! NOW!"

Without a second warning, the brothers tossed the keys to the Arcade on the desk before they dashed out the exit.

"She's all yours! Make sure you lock up before you go!"

* * *

><p>From a mountaintop just outside Gravity Falls, the wicked Emperor watched with hushed glee as his forces continued to plague the innocent residents of the town. However, he figured that long enough had passed; the time for petty games was over with.<p>

He raised his dark, chaotic blade into the air, making the atmosphere turn another shade darker. The Arcade at the center of the town soon became surrounded by an eerie purple glow. The despot thrust his blade higher in the sky, making a tidal wave of pixels explode from the glowing business and onto the outside world. As the beam spread further, devouring everything in its path, the Emperor drew his head back and let out a cruel, cold-hearted laugh, _knowing that the battle was over with before it even began…_

* * *

><p>Mabel Pines sat with her face in her hands as she kept watch over the Mystery Shack Gift Shop. A few hours had passed since she witnessed an awful fight between her twin brother, Dipper, and his crush, Wendy Corduroy. She had innocently walked in on the shouting match between the two former friends, as they both claimed that each had tried to kill the other the night before.<p>

The cheerful girl tried her best to defuse the awkward situation; however, the damage had already been done. Things were already on uneasy ground before the previous night, and this incident finally sent both Wendy and Dipper over the edge. Blinded by their rage and hurt feelings, Mabel watched as each teenager exploded back and forth before declaring their hate for each other.

Each seemingly wounded by the other's actions, the two fled, going their own individual way as tears flowed from their faces. Left behind and forced to be the de-facto caretaker of her Great-Uncle's Mystery Shack, Mabel sat in solitude, waiting for the next unfortunate soul to arrive at the semi-attractive tourist trap, as she tried to find a solution to the crisis at hand.

While Mabel was definitely undecided about the romantic implications between the two, she understood that it would be an utter tragedy if things were left the way they were between her sibling and their redheaded co-worker. She knew Dipper better than anyone in the world, and to say that Wendy had a positive influence _was surely an understatement_. If anything, the ginger was possibly the only other person besides herself that was able to break him out of his shell!

Even though she was sometimes left out, Mabel had to admit it was nice to see her twin being dragged by the hand towards new experiences and adventures instead of always having his nose buried in a book or computer screen. The metal-mouthed teenager knew that such a good thing was worth trying to repair!

"It's kinda funny when you think about it," Mabel reflected, shaking her head back and forth, "_I'm_ the one that came here looking for a summertime crush, and now…"

A distant rumble interrupted her thoughts. Mabel lowered her feet to the floor, making sure not to accidentally step on her pet pig, Waddles, as she came down from Wendy's stool. As the violent shaking increased, the brunette walked over to the window and gasped at the sight before her: _a literal wave of dozens of different colors headed in her direction, seemingly coating anything and everything within its grasp._

"Uh, guys?!"

Hearing the cry from the parlor, Grunkle Stan and Soos walked into the Gift Shop to find the stunned pixie staring outside from the windowsill. Upon seeing the abnormality before them, the three stood frozen at the horrid fate that awaited them.

"Well," Grunkle Stan removed his fez and scratched the top of his grey-haired head, "As we reluctantly face this unknown fate before us, I find myself certain of one thing: _I just know_ _Dipper has something to do with it_!"

"Agreed…" Soos and Mabel nodded along with the comment, not daring to move their eyes from the impending doom approaching at lightning speed…

* * *

><p>Minutes later, Gravity Falls had been left devoid of all the signs and sounds that came with the everyday bustle of life. All that remained were a few remote "<em>beeps, clicks, and blops<em>."

The Emperor of Darkness looked upon the newest addition of his ever-expanding kingdom. All had gone exactly to plan. The supposed guardians, the two children that had previously bested his world, had been taken care of; ironically, by turning them against each other. The gateways were now fully opened, and all means of possible resistance had been severed.

From his newest foothold, he gazed into the distance. It would only be a matter of time before the rest of this realistic, flesh-based world would be firmly secured within his armored clutches…


	8. Chapter 7

_"In every loss, in every lie,  
>in every truth that you'd deny.<br>And each regret and each goodbye  
>was a mistake too great to hide.<br>And your voice was all I heard,  
>that I get what I deserve."<em>

"New Divide," by Linkin Park

**Chapter 7 – The Sacrifice**

"On yer feet, maggot!"

Dipper felt himself being hoisted upwards, "Huh?"

"Get going!"

Still groggy, the confused boy looked around to see that he was completely shrouded in darkness. "Where – Where am I?"

He cried out in pain as something sharp poke him square in the small of his back. "Silence! Just keep yer little yap shut if you know what's good for ya!"

Despite his lack of sight, Dipper could tell by the numerous voices barking orders at him that he was hopelessly surrounded. Suddenly, his redden nose started to itch. He went to try to scratch it, only to feel that his hands were held down on each side.

Dipper marched on silently as he tried to remember how exactly he ended up in this situation. A moment later, the scenes started to play back in his mind's window, almost as it was his own private slideshow: _the fight between him and his red-headed crush, the revelation of his digitally based murderous clone, watching helplessly as that purple guy's army dragged Wendy away as the duo reached out for one another…_

"Wait – Wait…WENDY!" Dipper realized, looking around for a way to escape, "WENDY?! Where is she?! I have to – ACK!"

His concern was shortened by another jab in the back, "I said SHUT UP! Your fate will be determined soon enough..."

"My fate?" His imagination raced at whatever horrors that armored maniac had planned for him.

A spotlight turned on, providing Dipper with much-needed luminosity. He looked down to see that his regular outfit of an orange T-shirt, blue vest, and pine-tree marked trucker hat had been replaced with a bright orange jumpsuit, similar to that of which convicted criminals would be forced to wear. His hands had been manacled at the wrist; a chain connected each to a belt that had been placed around his waist.

He twisted around and gasped aloud upon seeing that he was surrounded by several hooded individuals. The captor behind him held a pointed spear firmly aimed at his backside. Oddly enough, the cloaked figures started to back away from the defenseless boy.

"Huh?" Dipper thought to himself, "What gives all the sudden?"

The floor started to glow, making Dipper turn his attention to the ground. A red ring encircled his tiny form. As he bent down to examine it, a flow of fire came bursting though. Luckily, Dipper lifted his head in the nick of time, resulting in having a few hairs on top his brown-covered head singed.

Trapped by the circle of flame, Dipper peered past to see that he was standing before what appeared to be a tribunal. A large black-wooden bench towered before him, each branching end holding another shadowy figure that watched the cautioned child without making a sound.

A larger-shaped shadow formed at the center panel; an object similar to a gavel appeared from its flowing sleeve. It banged the hammer repeatedly as a deep voice boomed from beneath its hood:

"Hear ye! Hear ye! This trial will come to session!"

"Trial?" Dipper asked the high-ranking form, "On what charge?!"

"Treason! Treason most foul!" The response caused a series of clamors amongst the anonymous crowd.

"Treason?!"

"Dipper Pines," the judge announced, "You have been accused of betraying the trust of one Gwendolyn "Wendy" Blerble Corduroy…"

From out of nowhere, Wendy appeared at the left hand side of the judge. Dressed up in black from head to toe, she wore a transparent veil over her freckled face as if she was attending a funeral. The ginger simply stared straight ahead into the distance, almost like she didn't even care that her former-best bud was standing before her.

"…how do you plead?"

"This is insane! What are you people talking about?! I didn't…wait – "Dipper stopped himself. "Your middle name is _Blerble_?!"

"ORDER!" The judge banged his gavel harder, "I will have order!" It raised its head towards Dipper, "Now, I ask you one last time…"

The fire surrounding him gulfed up higher in intimidation.

"…what is your plea?"

Left without any other option, Dipper lowered his head, sighed, and gave his answer:

"Not guilty…"

Once more, a huge outcry spread through the crowd. Wendy raised her gloved hands to her face and began to weep uncontrollably into them. Amiss the shouting and chaotic nature of the mock-courtroom, Dipper could only focus on the saddened condition of his crush.

"You're…crying? Why are you crying? What's wrong?"

The judge leaned over the edge of his seat and pointed at Dipper, his long sleeve hiding his arm, "Do you really have to ask "why?""

Dipper raised an eyebrow to its claim, "What's that supposed to mean?"

His honor sat back in his seat, "You tell me, . You are said to be this girl's _self-proclaimed hero_, are you not?"

He shrugged his shoulders as a wave of embarrassment overcame him. "Well, I don't know about that…"

"Then, tell us what you _do_ know, Mr. Pines!" It threw its arm outwards to highlight to the sobbing redhead. "Does _this_ look like someone who had been rescued?! Does Miss Corduroy appear to be calmed or soothed in any possible way?!"

Dipper looked up to see that Wendy continued to shed tears. She was left completely unaware that her admirer centered his sights solely on her, unable to look away from her saddened state.

"Uh, no…err, sir," he answered truthfully, "She looks like how…" Dipper shortly trailed off; his inner thoughts finished the sentence:

_"She looks like how I left her that night…"_

Despite an inner turmoil growing within his gut, Dipper started to appeal to his condemners, "I know I upset Wendy, but _I did save her_! I made sure that that creep Robbie could never hurt her ever again!" He glanced around the room for signs of support, "Doesn't that count for anything? _What else was I supposed to do_?!"

A succession of "BOOs" and hisses exploded from the caucus, forcing Dipper to go on the defensive, "Oh, "BOO" yourselves!" His attitude instantly changed as he watched Wendy cry even harder at his words, leaving him again in his own private world of regret.

"We have heard enough!" The judge turned to its left and right, "Fellow members of this tribunal, how do you find the defendant?"

The leftmost speculator pulled back its hood, revealing a greenish demon, complete with curled horns on each side of its head. It narrowed its putrid yellow eyes at the frightened adolescent, hissing its decision through a thin, forked tongue:

"Guilty!"

One by one, its counterparts pulled back their disguises, each being another monster of similar nature but of different hues; they all followed suit in presenting their choice:

"Guilty!"

"Guilty!"

"Guilty!"

"Guilty!"

The judge threw the gavel against the table as hard as he could, "Dipper Pines, this court finds you guilty by unanimous decision…"

"Hey, wait a second here!" Dipper argued back, "This is crazy! Don't I get a chance to defend myself or even someone to represent me?"

Despite the interruption, the judge, now seen to be a blue-tinted imp, went on with his verdict, "…as the case of all traitorous swine before you, you are sentenced to _damnation in eternal hellfire_!"

"WHAT?!"

Dipper spun around to see that Wendy was looking down at him; her shining emerald eyes were a teary-red shade. Upon having their sights meet, her lower lip began to quiver as she collapsed into her folded arms as another wail escaped from her insides, "_Oh…Dipper_…"

"Wait, WENDY!" Dipper tried to call out to the hysterical high-schooler as the flames surrounding him rose up, completely blocking any or all outside sight. As the hellfire came closer, he ducked down into a tiny ball on the floor. His chained hands left him unable to properly shield himself.

"WENDY, PLEASE!" he beseeched as the pillars of fire were seconds away from consuming him whole. "MAKE THEM STOP! TELL THEM I WOULD NEVER HURT YOU! TELL THEM THAT I LOVE YOU! PLEASE, WENDY! DON'T LET 'EM DO THIS TO ME! PLEASE!"

* * *

><p>"Ugh!"<p>

Dipper opened his eyes, and let out a sigh of relief; the whole awful experience had been nothing but a dream. As he started to regain his focus, Dipper gazed forward and upon seeing what was right in front of him, he instantaneously had the wind knocked out of him.

_He was still inside of the ring of fire!_

The distraught boy tried to flee from the peril, only to discover that his arms were bound at his side. Looking around for any chance of escape, Dipper saw that _someone or something_ had tied him to a huge wooden stake amidst the flaming pit. He kicked his dangling legs in an effort to gain some leeway towards freedom, merely for it to have no effect at all!

Trapped high among the blaze, Dipper could feel the rising fire starting to lapse across the bottoms of his sneakered feet. A succession of hushed murmurs and low-keyed chuckles prompted him to raise his head. His brown eyes widened at the incredible sights before him.

Dipper had been placed before a motley crew of various monsters. Giant bulldog-esque fiends clutched their metal javelins tightly as they watched him struggle in vain. Rat-faced beasts leered at him, twitching their white-mustached lips as they twirled what appeared to be razor-tipped boomerangs in their clutches. Miniature octopi bounced up and down excitedly, shooting tiny rocks out of their nozzle-shaped noses.

Even though this was the first time he had seen such things up close, Dipper could easily recognize these creatures anywhere – they were all villains from his favorite action/RPG game, _Legends & Fables_!

"What is this?!" Dipper asked, trying to wiggle loose from his bindings, "What's going on?!"

One of the dog-like beasts, blue skinned with worn-out green armor, stepped out in front of the crowd and tried to grumble out an answer, "Boy needed…_boy needed to bring back master_…"

"Bring back master?"

Dipper watched in confusion as the gathering began to shift together. From a distance, it looked like the group was bringing something towards the front. The goblin-being turned around, grasped the object, and presented it to him.

A shiny crystal ball was shoved in Dipper's face. A black mist swirled around freely inside of the sphere. After a few moments, the smog began to shift as it started to take to an almost human-like form. Bright yellow eyes abruptly appeared, making Dipper cry out loud in surprise. Pointed-red hair started to form on top of its head. A long-tipped nose extracted itself from its face. A devilish smile stretched out across the dark-tinted facade as its flowing mane poured outwards.

"Oh, no!" the young detective shouted, shaking his head in dismay, "Not you again!"

Dipper was staring that the sneering visage of the wicked King of Thieves! He remembered how the last time he was in the gaming universe, the powerful wizard tossed aside the mighty world warrior, Rumble McSkirmish, without breaking a sweat, and whisked Wendy away for his own sinister purposes. It was through the combined efforts of both teenagers that they were able to defeat the treacherous foe and return home to reality by the skin of their teeth.

However, Wendy was nowhere to be found, and Dipper was left vulnerable amongst the ever-growing army before him.

"But…But how…?"

"Little hero had destroyed master's body, but his spirit is everlasting…" the servant explained further. "Sacrifice is needed to bring master back!"

Through his constant squirming, Dipper was able to get some slack by his right hand. He dug into his nearby short pocket, taking hold of his trusty multi-tool. Without the monsters seeing, he opened the device and started to saw through the ropes holding him to the stake. He knew that his escape attempt would take several minutes, so he attempted to buy some time.

"_Sacrifice_?" Dipper questioned as he worked on his break-out, "What do you mean?"

The indigo brute laughed at the child's faked sincerity, showing off rows of crooked, jagged teeth, _"From moment boy deal final blow to master, boy's bloodline became cursed! Only way master can come back is if we sacrifice boy! Spread his blood over master's remains! Then, master will live again!"_

A roar of cheers rose from the crowd as a chill was sent up Dipper's spine. In spite of the horrid fate plotted for him, the teen knew he had to try to remain calm. If he were to freak out and accidentally drop his knife, then there would no way out of this mess.

_"Live again! Live again! Live again!"_

Dipper could feel the fires grow hotter beneath him. The ties were starting to give. He lifted his feet as high as he could and pressed off against the wooden beam in an effort to pry himself loose. Luckily for him, all of the brutes were distracted by their arousing celebration.

"Just…a…little…more…" he strained through grit teeth.

The familiar snickered at the thrashing lad, "Don't worry, after you, _"red-hair princess" will be next_!"

With one last push, Dipper burst through the remainders of the ropes and landed upon of the taunting blue dog soldier. As if by second nature, he raised his blade and drew it into the wrongdoer's shoulder. It howled in pain before evaporating from a blur of pixels into nothingness.

Dipper landed on one knee and slowly stood up as something fell into his open arms. He looked down to see that he had accidentally caught the crystal ball containing the essence of the evil video game rogue. The young adult glanced down at the orb as once more, the shape began to change.

The raging sorcerer's skin turned a light blue. His long nose retracted, becoming a shorten crimson snout. His orange-red hair faded away, revealing a set of floppy blue and pink ears. His beard was replaced with an oversized jowl, complete with two sharpen tusks. The ghastly yellow eyes were now a demonic blood red.

The King of Thieves had somehow become a creature that resembled _a giant boar_!

"What the - ?" Dipper didn't know what was happening, "Is this like, _his true form_?"

The azure beast snorted at him, releasing an ear-piercing squeal afterwards. Shaken by the sudden outburst, Dipper let out a scared yelp as he accidentally let the crystal ball slip through his fingertips. The shiny globe shattered into a thousand pieces across the stone floor. A thin blue vapor floated out of the remains, disappearing into the atmosphere.

The room grew deathly silent as every eye focused solely on Dipper. He let out a nervous twitter as he twitched his fingers together nervously.

"Heh – Heh…butterfingers?"

One of the bulldog-beings raised its weapons above its head and let out a battle growl:

"GET HIM!"

Dipper started to backpedal in the opposite direction of the swarm approaching him. He looked over his shoulder to see an opening leading into another passageway. Not thinking twice, Dipper sprinted into the newly-found tunnel, his flight from danger aided by tiny torches hanging overhead.

As he explored the tunnel, a sense of familiarity quickly overcame Dipper. It was almost as if he had been in this cavern before.

"But how?"

His thoughts quickly changed to that of Wendy. "Those minions said that they were coming after her as soon as they were finished with me. That must mean that she's okay…right?" Dipper's emotions turned negative as his imagination raced at the kinds of torture that armored freak could be putting his crush though.

He shook away the doubts, "I shouldn't think like that. This is Wendy I'm talking about after all! _She's tougher than all of these things put together!_" However, his stomach ached in regret of what happened earlier; of all the awfulness between the two before the ambush from the digital world.

"If I don't make it outta here, I won't get another chance to make things right; I can't think about that stuff right now! I gotta focus!"

Dipper skid to a halt as he narrowly collided into a sealed wall. He had run into a dead end! While lost in his thoughts, the diminutive explorer had taken a countless numbers of random twists and turns in order to evade his pursuers. He had no choice but to turn back and try another path.

Arriving back at the last forked road he had taken, Dipper could see a faint glowing in the distance. The sounds of growling and shouting reminded him that his enemies were close – _too close_.

He went to take the other path…

*KWANG!*

A flying object came out from the darkness and threw Dipper against the wall. He tried to move, only to notice that his left shoulder was pinned down! Dipper felt around with his free hand, searching about until he located the source of the obstruction.

One of the vermin thing's boomerangs had gone through his navy blue vest and pinned him tightly against the wall! As he tried to slip free, he saw the horde coming from around the corner. Very carefully, he started to wiggle out of his jacket, trying his best not to knick himself on the weapon's spiky edges.

Just as the monsters were almost upon him, Dipper was able to pull himself out of the ruined vest. Part of him felt bad for leaving his trademark behind, but he figured it better than being torn limb from limb by the furious horde.

Turning into the next room, Dipper noticed a long rope leading downwards a few yards away. He raced towards it and learned that it was belonged to a form of pulley-styled elevator. The boy hopped onto the platform, making it wobble wildly. He gripped the rope forcefully in order to gain some balance.

Hearing the voices of the monsters growing close, Dipper started to pull on the cables, lowering himself onto the next floor. He saw that the elevator could go even further, but he chose to see if this level had anything worth seeking out.

The thirteen-year-old stepped off of the stand, landing hard on his feet. On bent knees, he looked up to see that he had dropped down in front of something covered in orange scales and chain mail. Dipper huffed at the sight before him. A giant alligator, standing on its hind legs, welded a two-sided axe menacingly towards the startled teen.

With a mighty bellow, the cold-blooded soldier swung its weapon towards the defenseless boy, forcing Dipper to tuck and roll out of danger's way. He stopped, bumping into another lizard warrior; the green behemoth sported a long lance with one slithery arm and an iron shield in the other. Before Dipper could break out into a full-pledged panic, he placed his feet beneath him and sprang himself back towards the elevator,

As the monsters went to reach him, Dipper was already descending further down the elevator shaft. All of a sudden, the platform started to flying downwards at an alarming rate. The ropes burnt Dipper's hands, forcing him to relinquish any remaining control over his decent.

"AAAHHH!"

*CRASH!*

Dipper stumbled out from beneath the collapsed pieces of lumber with a groan. He gripped his head as he made it back to a standing position. As the teenager pushed on, his sneaker brushed up against a coil of rope; the edges of it looked as if it has been severed. He bent down and examined the new evidence.

"I can't believe it," he reflected. "Those things cut the rope…"

His eyes soon caught interest of a sign that was mounted across the reddish-brown rocky cavern wall. Dipper squint his eyes in order to read it; it was a sort of directory to the various areas of the dwelling:

"Gym…Darts…Foosball…Hot Tub…Throne Room…?"

A smile spread across his face. Dipper finally knew why this layout seemed so familiar to him. He had been here before!

"This…this is the Man-Cave!"

It was about a month before when Dipper had sought council with the resident creatures of the cave, the Manotaurs, in an effort to toughen up and become more of a "man." He had embarrassed himself in front of half the town (his family and Wendy included) and left in a sobbing mess, vowing to do whatever it took not to be in such a situation ever again.

When everything was said and done, the overly-masculine minotaurs had presented Dipper with an impossible choice, making him realize that the manliest thing he could have done was stand up to his newly-made friends and do what he believed to be right.

"That means I'm not in the video game universe; _I'm still in Gravity Falls_!"

However, the unusual silence (omitting the unpleasant gurgles of the fantasy-based monsters) left Dipper somewhat unnerved.

"So, why aren't the guys here? There's no way those things could have taken out all of the manotaurs. I wonder what happened to them?"

As Dipper went to head down the only available path, a brief memory from that day flashed before his eyes; one that made him beam even harder about his gingered friend:

"_Even though Wendy was cheering her dad on, she never once laughed at me while everyone else did_…"

Entering the new area, Dipper forced the thought from his head; getting himself tangled in nostalgia at the moment was going to get killed himself.

"Besides," he lamented, "I'll have to cross that bridge when I get to it…"

Dipper stopped in place as he found himself at a tapered bridge tethering over a boiling lake of molten lava.

He raised his sights to the heavens and cursed his awful luck, "This isn't what I meant!"

Griping the thinning handrail tightly, Dipper placed a steady foot onto the first unsteady lath in front of him. With a bit more courage, he continued onwards step after step. The bridge began to rattle violently, making Dipper cling on for dear life.

The river of magma let out a series of bubbling bursts. From within the depths, small forms rose from the pit, landing behind of the bumbling lad teetering over certain doom. The molten rock fell from the new arrivals, revealing them to be creepy-looking hallowed skulls.

Before Dipper could react, red beams started to glow from within the blackened eyes of the unearthly craniums. Their sharpened teeth began to gnaw almost mechanically. Balls of fire formed in every mandible.

"As if things weren't bad enough….how can they get any worse?"

A split second later, all of the demonic skulls took to the sky in pursuit of the sarcastic sleuth.

_"Me and my big mouth!"_

Biting his tongue, Dipper waddled faster and faster until he finally received the other side. He thought about severing the bridge to prevent further passage for his captors, but decided against it at the last second, "Those things are already flying around, so it isn't like they need this thing…"

Instead, Dipper took off into the open area, only to be faced with another room with branching paths. The nerve-wrecked boy jogged in place as he attempted to pick a new course. The rising shining reflecting off of the cave wall served as a constant reminder that the flying flaming skulls were moments away.

"I don't understand this!" Dipper wondered. "There are all of these new roads! Plus, not to mention the lava pool! These things weren't here before, unless the manotaurs added some serious home security enhancements!"

A breeze entered the room, awakening Dipper from his panic, and instantly made goose flesh spread all over his skin. It was almost like being hit with a bolt of lightning.

"That's it!" he theorized, "The wind – it must be coming from outside! I bet if I follow it, I can find a way out of here!"

Dipper charged into the middle pathway in hopes of reaching an exit to the labyrinth. Instead, he found himself in front of what appeared to be a makeshift shrine. In the center of the memorial, a thin, white and red hammer was left highlighted by a simple light stemming from a crack in the ceiling. Baffled by the importance of something so simple, Dipper picked up the item, tucked it into the back of his pants, and looked past the shrine.

"What?! There's nothing there!"

He hopped off of the raised floor as he faced another blind alley, "I don't understand it; the cold air was coming from this room! I felt it!" Dipper took a few more steps towards the wall, "Maybe there's some sort of trick –"

As soon as Dipper reached the wall's edge, the floor gave way beneath his feet. He shrieked as green strobe lighting flashed repeatedly in front of his face. The teen closed his eyes to prevent them from being damaged any further.

When he opened them, Dipper found himself knelt down on one knee safe and soundly. In a rush, he jumped around and examined himself, finding that he was left completely uninjured. Dipper raised his head to see that the passage that he fell through was sealed off.

"That was…_crazy_!" the relieved explorer let out a heave, "It was like I was falling forever, but…I'm okay." He double-checked his body for any form of damage, "Was it some sort of warp or something like that?"

Dipper turned around that at long last, he had finally reached the exit of the Man Cave! With a renewed sense of hope, he darted towards the way out. However, Dipper halted in his tracks upon seeing what awaited him outside.

A thick layer of gorgeous white snow covered the entire mountainside of Gravity Falls! Strong gusts of wind spread the never-ending flurry as far as the eye could see. The refreshing breeze that led Dipper to freedom was now a relentless blizzard that nearly froze him to the bone.

"Brrr…" Dipper mumbled, rubbing his now vest-less chest for warmth, his teeth chattering all the while, "N-N-Now, I know _something's up_! It was 85 degrees out when we were attacked in the center of town! I'll bet that metal-head guy has something to do with this!"

Left with any other choice, Dipper ventured out into the unforgiving blizzard, only to trip over a huge budge hidden by the snow. He landed face first in the frigid fleet, jumping up in shock due to the sudden change in body temperature. Annoyed by his clumsiness, Dipper kicked the bump, making all of the snow fall off of it.

The object was a worn out duffel bag. Dipper bent down and unzipped the pack, hoping that its contents would contain something that would help him warm up quickly. Inside, a _fluffy blue parka aligned with white fur and matching mittens_ laid abandoned. Without a second's delay, Dipper threw on the coat, sealing it around him tightly and throwing up the hood over his head. As he finished bundling up for the cruel weather, Dipper spotted that _a second jacket, covered in pink_ remained behind in the knapsack. The twin parka reminded him of his sister Mabel; it was bad enough that he and Wendy were up to their necks in trouble. The last thing he needed was for _something to happen to the rest of his family._

Having proper shielding against the elements, Dipper went to begin the long journey down the mountainside. He stopped mystified as the trail downwards had completely vanished all in thanks to the devious snowfall. Left without any other choice, Dipper double-backed past the cave, and started toward the higher cliffs.

"The only other path off of the mountain is around the other side; it stinks, but there really isn't another way…"

Wading his way through the thick frost, Dipper found himself with another dilemma: the passage forward had been barricaded by giant chunks of ice.

"Great…" he grumbled to himself, "What do I do now?"

As Dipper leaned back, he felt something rigid poke him in his backside. The teen reached around and retrieved the hammer he had stashed away for safe-keeping earlier. Holding the weapon with both hands, Dipper closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and swung away at the obstacles before him.

*KRAK!* *KRAK!* *KRAK!*

Within moments, Dipper reopened his eyes to see that the icy barrier had been reduced to mere shavings!

"Wow!" he stood amazed of what had just happened, "I can't believe that actually worked! Maybe things are finally starting to go my way!"

In the distance, Dipper could make out a tiny grey object bobbing up and down excitedly. Somehow, a baby seal had gotten lost in the middle of the storm. The vigilant boy slowly approached the seemingly happy otter with an open glove, "Hey, there, little fella. Did you get lost up here, too?"

Without warning, a white sparkle started to form on the seal's black nose. Dipper backed away with his guard up as the tiny mammal clapped and barked with glee. Seconds later, an ice block, similar to the ones that previously blocked Dipper's path, came flying at him with incredible speed.

"WHOA!" Dipper jumped upright, dodging the projectile at the last possible second. The seal persisted in its own personal celebration. "That's not funny, guy!"

Yet again, the gleaming glitter started again on the fuzzy nostril. Dipper leaned to the side to avoid the second high-speed cube.

"I have to stop that thing," he planned out, "_But it's not like I could go ahead and club a baby seal; what would people say?!_"

As Dipper watched a third gleam form, he clutched his hammer with both gloved hands. His eyes centered on the upcoming sliding pellet. Counting down in his head, the young adult waited for his moment and swung at the upcoming snowy piece, forcing it back at its creator…

*ARF!*

The diminutive otter disappeared into a wave of melting blue pixels. Dipper walked ahead to examine the collateral damage. Part of him even felt bad for the barely-threatening video game critter. "Man, why did it have to be so cute? Couldn't it have been _like a yeti_ or something like that?"

Dipper went to turn around back towards the main path, only to run face-first into something incredibly white and wooly. He looked upwards at the towering obstacle to see it was in truth, a giant polar bear standing fully upright. The strangest part of its appearance was the fact that it donned a bright pink Speedo suit along with a pair of slick, black wrap-around sunglasses. It reminded Dipper of the friendly mascot that was plastered on all of the slushie cups back home.

Without making a single sound, the stylish behemoth used its tremendous weight to push the insignificant fighter backwards without any serious effort. Dipper looked behind himself to see that he was now inches away from the cliffside.

"Hey, wait a sec -" Dipper tried to reason with the bear as he shoved back in vain, "Let's not be too hasty here…" Biting his lip in dismay, he found himself left with no other choice but to fight back. Dipper raised the hammer over his head and struck the colossus as hard as he could. It left no obvious effect as the creature went forth, showing no signs of slowing down in the least.

"What gives with this thing? It's probably peeved over its seal friend…"

Again and again, Dipper took strikes at the near-invincible polar bear as he felt his heels doddering over the mountain's edge. He met the silent antagonist eye to eye, and gave an earnest grin, "Can't we talk this though?"

With one last thrust, Dipper was sent flying over the edge of the precipice. He covered his face with his arms, belting out an echoing screech as he prepared himself for the end…

As the seconds passed, the sense of plummeting had faded away. Dipper stole a look from within his self-imposed cocoon to see that he hadn't fallen at all. He stood up, amazed that he was still breathing. He let out a lighten laugh as the bear had thrown him onto a platform floating in mid-air alongside the mountain. Dipper glanced overhead to see that a whole series of levitating podiums provided a safe passage straight to the summit.

Dipper made sure to time his jumps as he traveled from step to step. The experience reminded him of his last video-game themed adventure when he was forced to leap and bound his way through the heightening green pipes of "Super Linguini World."

At long last, Dipper took a final running jump onto the top of the peak. Worn out, he dropped to his hands and knees, and struggled to regain his breath; the thinning air certainly didn't help matters.

*HUFF-PUFF!* "W-W-What's that over there…?"

A small, purple object stuck out from the whiteout. Dipper made his way onward and bent down to pick up the item. It was a form of stretched eggplant. Inspecting it closely, he noticed that the vegetable had thin black eyes and an endearing line smile that stretched from end to end.

Dipper raised an eyebrow at the strange find, "What kind of –"

*SQUAWK!*

A high-pitched howl reverberated throughout the empty plateau. Dipper looked around for the source of the noise, "Where is it coming from?" A huge shadow was promptly casted over the bewildered teenager. Dipper's eyes followed the source, only to see an enormous mauve blur lunge down at him.

"AAARRRGGGHHH!"

Dipper soon found himself soaring hundreds of feet into the air. Despite being shaken, he twisted his neck around to make out that he had been snatched up by what appeared to be _a purple, scale-covered pterodactyl_. The beast's yellow and black eyes focused solely on its helpless prey. It belted out another roar, almost as if to celebrate its easy victory.

"I can't believe it!" Dipper exclaimed while trying to wiggle free from the dinosaur's claws. "Where are these things coming from?" He remembered the grey variant that previously stole his twin sister's pet pig, "There's no way another one could have escaped, right?"

As Dipper continued to fight from freedom, he shouted up at the flying monster, "Hey, ugly! Put me down! Right now!" The pterodactyl paid him no heed. Growing angry at the situation, Dipper grasped his hammer and started to pound on its hind legs, "Did you hear me? I SAID LET ME GO NOW!"

After being hit several times, the creature squealed in agony, letting the boy slip from between its clutches. Realizing that he may have spoken too soon, Dipper found himself crashing back towards the earth, making him instantly regret his rash request.

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT! THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"


	9. Chapter 8

_"And so we stood alone,  
>but pain is always so betrayed with our eyes.<br>But I know now, on hearts, the faithless can't rely.  
>Do dreams make no sound as they die?"<em>

"Die Like This," by Fuel

**Chapter 8 – Destiny**

"Ohh…my aching head!"

Wendy Corduroy woke up to find that she was sprawled out on the floor. Unsure of how exactly she ended up there, the redhead hoisted herself up and rubbed her sleep-covered face clear with her fingers. As her vision started to return, a rush of recollections came flowing through: _the fight with Dipper, fleeing from her evil clone and its personal army of video game minions, the confrontation with the wicked mastermind behind the attempt on her life, trying to make some sort of peace with her partner-in-crime as she was hurled into a portal to heaven knew where._

"The portal!"

The girl hopped to her feet as reality struck her like a ton of bricks; she realized that she was anywhere but home.

Wendy looked around to see that she was all alone in a room made entirely of blue and greenish wire framing that seemed to stretch on without any end in sight. The floors and walls were entirely see-through, and yet, still managed to retain solidity. Uneasiness overcame her psyche, filling Wendy with a sense of creepy nostalgia _as if she had been here before_.

"But when? And where?"

She had experienced this same sensation vaguely in her nightmares. There would be flashes of strobe lights all around as Wendy could tell that she had been whisked away somewhere far from her family and friends, to where no one could possibly help her. She would take flight into the seemingly never-ending darkness as something overwhelmingly powerful would give chase, stopping Wendy in her tracks, and trying to claim her as their own.

The fifteen year old glanced down at herself to see that she, too, had over gone a tremendous change in appearance. Her usual green and black flannel shirt and snuggly-fit blue jeans were replaced with a luxurious, sparkling emerald green dress that matched the color of her eyes. A stylish black choker was buckled around her slender neck. Golden looped earrings were found in place of her simple grey studs. Her trademark brown trapper hat had also vanished, as Wendy noticed that someone had taken the time to perfectly straighten her naturally frizzy auburn hair. Slight clicking sounds coming from underfoot served as an indication that high heels had been strapped onto her feet.

Wendy wrapped her arms around herself as a chilling breeze invaded her now-naked forearms. As she studied the peculiar room further, another memory flashed before her eyes – of the first time she had been taken by something from the gaming universes. It had been that one bulging fighter guy with the eye patch that Dipper liked – _Rumble McGolucky or something like that_ - that attempted to hold her prisoner in a place similar to this.

"Either way," Wendy concluded, "I'd say it'd be a safe bet to get outta dodge ASAP!"

She went to race out of the mysterious area, unsure of how to reach her next destination when Wendy felt something yank her feet out from under her. The ginger fell to the semi-transparent floor, catching herself with her palms at the very last second. The strange impression sent goosebumps running down her pale, freckled flesh as she made it back to a standing position. Remembrance became certainty as Wendy searched around her being, praying that her thoughts were mistaken, _"Not again! It couldn't have happened again!"_

Sure enough, a thin, yet solid chain link traveled from beneath her flowing gown wrapping itself around a rusted copper circle embedded into the ground a few yards from where Wendy was standing. Just before pure panic set in, an outlook of hope rose up from within the plucky teenager.

"I know!" Wendy said with much-needed enthusiasm, "I'll just do what I did last time…" She held up with her green dress with both hands and pinned it down with her chin, "I'll slip out of the cuffs, and before those creeps know it, I'll be out of here lickety-split –"

Her words quickly dried up as the truth was made apparent. In her excitement, Wendy forgot that she was no longer wearing her oversized lumberjack boots; the same ones that aided her escape from captivity last time. Instead, she saw that her dainty peds were donning glistening black pumps that only added to her extraordinary height. Her mouth gaped open as above them, a pair of cast-iron shackles had been fastened around her now-bare ankles, instantly dashing any thoughts of a speedy escape. The same feeling of claustrophobia she suffered while trapped at the rail yard promptly returned.

_"No! No! No!"_ Wendy fret, examining her plight from every possible angle, "You've got to be freakin' kidding me!" Bending down to get a better look at the situation, she took hold of one of her leg irons, noting that there were now two heavy-duty padlocks securing each foot restraint, making it clear that her captor had no intention of letting their prey loose so easily.

"Hhmph!" she grunted, fumbling around with the bolts that held her in place. Her idea of being able to pick the padlocks open was ruined as Wendy noticed that they lacked any sort of keyhole. Instead, their locking mechanisms were controlled by a three-digit-combination set piece. Wendy figured it would be weeks of endless toil before she could figure out the correct set of numbers that would free her from her chains. "Talk about going over-the-top with all the effort here!"

Not to be deterred, the teen tried to squeeze her fingers in between the fetter around her shin in an effort to gain some extra slack. To her surprise, a thin foamed layer had been placed alongside in the inners of each cuff to avoid having the harsh metal dig painfully into her sensitive skin. Wendy scoffed sarcastically and rolled her eyes at the fact, "I should be grateful that they tried to make me comfortable this time around…"

*STOMP!*

Her witty banter faded as Wendy could hear a loud crashing sound in the distance. Her blood ran cold as she realized exactly what the noise was.

*STOMP!*

_"Oh, man! He's coming! Just like the last time! Just like in my dreams! He's coming! I have to get outta here NOW!"_

*STOMP!*

Growing desperate, Wendy ran towards the ring welded into the neon floor. She thrust her foot on top of the metal loop, picked up the chain that held her hostage, and pulled back with all of her might.

*STOMP!*

_"Come on! Come on!"_ Wendy closed her eyes and yanked backwards in hopes of breaking the tie through the corroded circle. She bit her bottom lip as the jagged link dug straight into her hands, and yet, persisted in her escape attempt, knowing that her life _did_ depend on it.

*STOMP!*

At long last, Wendy perceived a slight whining sound coming from the tiny vice that held her bondage. A brighten smile spread across her dimpled face as she realized that she was definitely making progress.

*STOMP!*

"_Almost…there_…." With her hands growing sore and redden, Wendy turned around and kicked her feet forward. Every thrust of one leg simply resulted in having the other one pulled back, but she didn't care. Wendy knew that every movement was a step further towards freedom.

*STOMP!*

Wendy peered behind her shoulder to see that the loop gave a bit more. As she continued to struggle, a huge shadow was casted over her lanky form. Wendy froze in place, taking a loud gulp before finding the courage to turn back around. The jolted redhead looked up to meet the scarred, pixelated face of her captor, Rumble McSkirmish!

The video game villain seized Wendy by her right arm, hoisting her off her feet and into the sky. Despite being scared out of her mind, she fought back with her free hand, pounding away on the brute's muscular bicep, "Let me go, you freak! Put me down!"

The world warrior laughed in her face, "AHA! It is like I told you before, _red-headed ginger princess_: this is your new home! There is no one who can help you now! After all, who would care about a worthless worm like yourself?"

Wendy stared deep in the scoundrel's glowing eye, as the other was covered by a black eye covering, and thought of her admirer, "You're wrong! _Dipper cares_! He's gone to heck and back for me time and time again! The same way I would for him!" The high-schooler prided in her young companion's accomplishments, "He's kicked your sorry butt more times than I can count, so just you wait until he gets here!"

She clicked her tongue at the fighter, hoping to intimidate him in the slightest. "You know," Wendy said with a sly grin forming, "If you were smart, you'd unlock my feet right now and let me walk outta here. Maybe; just maybe, I could convince Dipper to go easy on you this time…"

To her surprise, Rumble let out a series of hearty chuckles, making Wendy raise an eyebrow in response. The smile was wiped clean from her face, "What's so funny?"

Rumble flashed a wicked smirk of his own, "You, small girl, aren't fooling anybody! Rumble knows that "little chubby-faced-boy" isn't coming for you!"

"What – What do you mean? Of course he is!"

Oddly, Rumble turned away from the airborne teenager with pity, "_There are only so many times that a hero can be pushed away before he disappears forever_…"

"That doesn't make any sense! You don't know what you're talking – "

Wendy immediately stopped in mid-sentence as the argument between she and her friend came to mind:

_"Just remember the next time something super-crazy comes to get you, I'm not going to be there to get you out of another jam!"_

_"I wouldn't ask for your help in the first place!"_

Haunted by her own words, Wendy tried to mount a counter-argument, only to be let stuttering in response, "But, I mean, I didn't…and he wouldn't…"

Wendy could only lower her head in disappointment as the muscle-bound kidnapper bragged further, "It is as I said: no one is coming to help you! You are all alone here…"

The arm holding her up in the air started to glow an illuminating white. Wendy's body started to tingle from head to toe, "What's happening? What are you doing to me?!"

"You are mine now!" Rumble shouted, throwing his head back, "_All your energy are belong to me_!"

The girl tried to break free from the kung-fu-master's grip, but discovered she lacked the strength to do so. Her headache came back ten times as bad as her nimble form suddenly went limp. "S-S-Stop it! Don't do this, please!"

The creepy aura soon spread across Rumble's body, as he expressed amusement at her suffering.

"WE ARE ONE…FOREVER!"

"Nooooo!"

Wendy's eyes shot open as her heart continued to race. Her rapid breathing started to calm as she realized what had happened.

_"It…It was all just a dream…"_

The exhausted youngster let out a sigh of relief. As her sight cleared, Wendy found herself blinded by an overflow of bright red. She shook her head as this had happened to her countless times before. Using both hands, the ginger pulled her long, gorgeous red locks back in order to regain her vision.

Strangely enough, Wendy found herself staring at her trademark brown trapper hat as it lay at the top of the ceiling. Still in disbelief, she rubbed her fists against her emerald eyes and reopened them, growing even more confused by the disturbing scene.

"What the - ? How could that be –"

As Wendy looked around for an answer, the truth was shortly made apparent. The flurry hat was not stuck at the top of the room; rather _she had been hung upside down_!

Wendy looked around to see that she was now in some sort of underground cavern. In spite of the lack of natural light, the rocky structures seemed to give off an unnatural neon glow, illuminating the area in a radiant blue and green aura.

Trying her best to do an inverted sit-up, the athletic lumberjack princess pulled herself up to see what exactly she had been caught on. To her surprise, Wendy found that her boots had become literally entrenched into the actual roof of the grotto. She wiggled around in hopes of being able to squirm free, only to find that the hardened material holding her shins in a death grip refused to budge a single itch.

"_Great…just great_…"

Wendy lowered herself back down, her strength sapping away with every passing second. Left dangling, she let out a groan as the throbbing in her sides of her head returned. The sting made Wendy reflect on the remnants of her nightmare; she now understood where the sensations of ringing migraines and stuck feet stemmed from.

"But how did I get up here?" Wendy asked as she lightly swung back and forth, "It's almost like something tried to cocoon me aliv – HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

All of a sudden, a ticklish sensation formed along the smalls of her back, making the entrapped girl fidget and guffaw aloud uncontrollably. Wendy reached over to her backside, trying to wipe away the source of the torturous commotion. Moments later, the stir traveled sideways against her love handles and onto her sensitive tummy, making her break out into a heavier fit of giggles.

"*Hee-Hee!* STOP! STOP IT!" Wendy pleaded as tears started to form, "I CAN'T – "

Her forced glee turned to horror as Wendy made contact with what was causing her to thrash about in vain. Her eyes widened at the sight of a giant spider that had adhered itself to her plaid-colored stomach. The yellow creature had a reddish back covered in sharp spikes similar to that of a porcupine. All six of its crimson eyes focused on the teenager as she trembled in shock. It clicked its razor-sharp mandibles menacingly at its vulnerable quarry.

Wendy let out a shriek that echoed throughout the hollow complex.

In alarm, the agile adolescent shoved the oversized bug off her body, forcing it to the ground with a soft *THUD!* She watched as it flailed dozens of tiny legs in the air, before turning itself right-side-up and crawling away into the shadows.

"Ew! Ew! Ew!" Wendy cried as she tried her best to wipe all of the sticky slime off of her body. She knew that it was only a matter of time before the little monster would probably come back with a few dozen of its closest friends. All of the blood rushed from Wendy's feet to the tip of her head, making her dizzier with every passing second. "There has to be some way out of here…"

From out of the corner of her eye, Wendy noticed a series of pointed stalactites next to the wrapping that seized her ankles. A desperate idea formed in her mind. Wendy jolted herself from side to side in an effort to gain friction. Her tongue peeked out of her mouth as she counted off in rhythm.

_"And-a-one…and-a-two…and here we go!"_

With one last plunge upward, Wendy reached out and seized the rocky spike by the edge of her fingertips. Increasing her grasp on the point, the cashier girl pulled back as hard as she could. The uncomfortable position was starting to take its toll even on her flexible body.

"Just…a…little…more…"

*KRAK!*

Wendy fell back into gravity's hold, wavering in a pendulum-like fashion with her prize in hand. Taking advantage of the momentum, she held the stalactite with both hands, and started to chip away at her bind with every passing swing. At first, little to no impact could be made, save for the occasional spray of dust.

After the third or fourth stab, a narrow crack started to appear on the formation.

"_Yes_!" Wendy cheered, "_It's working_!"

She persisted in her attack; every moment brought her closer to freedom. More dirt and gravel started to pour out from the cocoon. Finally, the structure gave way and released Wendy's willowy legs, sending her crashing to the ground. Wendy let out a quiet yelp as her back slammed against the rigid floor.

With the breath knocked out of her lungs, the worn-out young woman took a minute to collect herself before setting off towards her next destination. Wendy reached over, reclaimed her beloved trapper hat, and placed it on the crown of auburn hair upon her head. Shakily rising to her feet, she slowly made her way into the shimmering unknown, unprepared for whatever fate had in store for her next.

Wendy only went a few steps before hearing a screeching sound coming from overhead. She glimpsed up for a split second to see a green and yellow blur zooming straight at her! The nimble lumberjack hopped back just before the thing struck the earth. With her guard up, Wendy carefully approached the weird being. It was a twisted bat creature with enlarged pinchers as wings. Fortunately, it appeared to damage itself severely in its suicidal attack. It let out a series of high-pitched whines as it floundered on the floor.

"Phew!" Wendy swiped her brow in relief, "That was too close for comfort!"

Her relief instantaneously vanished as she noticed that the carcass started to flash a bright red. As the seconds passed, the blinking became more rapid, growing with an intensity that made Wendy extremely nervous.

"I _really_ don't like the looks of that!"

Without a second guess, the ginger dove to the side, taking refuge behind an enormous boulder. From her safe distance, Wendy watched as the beast exploded, releasing a countless amount of pixelized shrapnel into the air. She ducked back against the stone to avoid being tagged by the dangerous projectiles.

As soon as she knew it was safe, Wendy stepped out from her shelter perplexed what she had witnessed, "_Those blocks…they're what the bad guys are made of…_" She looked around the horizon, as if the answer was going to leap out at her, "_Am I in one of those games from the arcade? If so, which one?_"

The mere mention of her last adventure made Wendy think about her young friend, "I wonder how he's doing…"

Her mind drew a blank as another ominous resonance filled the subterranean air. From across the channel, Wendy could make out a group of tall armored soldiers huddled in an enclosed circle. Growing curious about the scene unfolding before her eyes, the slim girl flew from cover to cover stealthy in order to gain a closer look.

To her repulsion, Wendy discovered that the warriors were actually colossal _grasshoppers locked into varying red and blue protective coverings_. _The style and designs of the outfits made it look like that they were from outer space_. They noisily chirped amongst one another as they clustered alongside a floundering object in the middle. Narrowing her eyes to gain a better look, Wendy quickly covered her mouth to prevent an alarmed gasp from escaping past her lips.

In the center of the ruckus, Wendy recognized the spiky spider that had accosted her earlier. It squealed and howled in pain as the monstrous creatures _devoured it alive_. Buckets-full of brightly colored pixel blocks came pouring out in lieu of blood, guts, and sinew. Wendy took deep breaths out of her nose to try to stop the devastating sense of queasiness rising from the pit of her stomach.

Out of the blue, the boulder Wendy had been hiding behind rolled over, instantly revealing her position to the deadly insects. She had accidentally put too much weight against the huge stone, sending it over the small knoll it was positioned on.

All at once, the gigantic pests looked in her direction, their antennas twitching endlessly. They let out a series of angry twitters and crackles, pointing their clawed arms straight in Wendy's direction. The freaked-out redhead backpedaled slowly, trying her best not to further agitate the outlandish monsters. They took to the sky, landing in front of the wary teenager before she knew what was happening.

The grasshoppers surrounded Wendy, circumcising any chance of escaping. They twitched rapidly and spoke to one another in their own odd, warbled language, leaving her somewhat confused and off-guard. Not wishing to trigger a violent reaction, Wendy remained silent, waiting with cautiousness for their next move.

Without warning, the left most bug soldier took a swipe towards Wendy with its razor-tipped winged arm. She leaned back and dodged out of harm's way at the last possible second, only to deliver a counter-punch to its chest in retaliation. The trooper was barely moved, its face contorted as its tone grew angrier.

Wendy waved her stinging hand as the legion closed in even tighter. She smiled sheepishly at her feeble defense, "Maybe that was a bit premature…" All at once, the band leapt at her, prompting Wendy to dive towards the middle, scarcely missing their pounce. She rolled and sprang to her feet running, leaving her attackers clueless to where their prey had gone.

The fiends let out a sequence of irate, livid tweets, prompting Wendy to look behind her as she dashed away. Once more, the gang of armored grasshoppers hurdled after her in hot pursuit. Her heart rose to her throat as the beasts came closer with every passing second.

As she rounded the corner, Wendy was forced to come to a halt as she found her path blocked off by what appeared to be a massive hedge. Stretching from the cavern's roof, the peculiar plant life traveled all the way to the floor, putting a huge dent in the ginger's escape plan. Refusing to give up, Wendy ran her hands through the bushy mess, hoping to find safe passage through the obstacle, "There's just gotta be a way through this thing! I just know there is!"

The upcoming mangled chatter of the space bugs sent chills down Wendy's spine as she persist on trying to find a way through the hedge. Finally, she noticed a small crevice at the very bottom by her booted feet. Left without any other choice, Wendy dropped to her knees and swiftly crawled through into the hole.

Wendy treaded on all fours into the darkness. The further she traveled inside, the denser the air became. Suddenly, something reached from the entrance and gripped Wendy's left ankle, making the girl crash into the ground chin-first. The grit-covered boot had been firmly seized, being pulled back in the opposite direction; Wendy instantly knew from the skin-crawling tone who her attacker was.

"NO!" she screamed as she flipped onto her stomach, the loose branches poking and prodding her every moment. "LET GO! GET OFF ME!" Without being able to see, Wendy kicked into the distance with her free foot. The sound of multiple screeches insured that she was striking her intended target. With one last lash, Wendy watched as a bright light flashed throughout the gloomy crevice, followed by a colorful, blocky downpour.

_"Well, that's one down…and I'm sure his friends aren't going to be pleased as punch about it!" _

Wendy pulled herself into the other side; the fluorescent lighting guided her the rest of the way. She now stood before a lake of cloudy liquid; she wasn't sure if it was water or not. A network of floating pebbles reached across the mass, providing a route to anyone bold enough to attempt the feat.

*SCREECH!*

The redhead spun around to see a ghastly green head shrieking straight at her. The aliens were on their way through!

"Gulp! Guess I really don't have a choice now…"

Taking a deep breath, Wendy took off towards the edge of the lake, pressing off against the bank with her right foot. She landed on the first platform, struggling to maintain her footing while extending her arms out and to the side to help regain her balance. Feeling a bit more confident, Wendy made her way hopping stone to stone until she reached the middle of the lake.

A group of high pitched shrieks boomed through the open area. Wendy saw a shadow fly across the ground, only to be followed by a loud crash. She looked up to see one of the insect soldiers waiting for her at the other end of the lake. It drew its spiked arms back menacingly as it growled loudly at its upcoming meal.

Gathering all of her nerve, Wendy backed until the very edge of her current platform. Her covered heels dipped in the mysterious fluid. With a burst of energy, the brave lumberjack bolted, jumping through the remainder of her trail until she reached the final step. Wendy bounded from the last pebble with both feet, kicking her legs outwards, and used her arms to propel herself off of the baffled monster's shoulder blades, landing behind him in one piece.

"LEAPFROG!"

All satisfaction of her small victory was wiped away as more of the grasshoppers arrived alongside their brethren. Without getting the chance to catch her breath, Wendy hurried towards what appeared to be the end of the corridor. A metallic display place was hung overhead, yet the determined redhead knew it was too far to reach, even with her extra height. A silver staircase lead the way to what appeared to be a _huge blue bubble entrenched in the wall_.

Wendy ran towards the structure, unaware of what to expect from it. "Is it some kinda door?" she asked, curiously poking a finger at the hardened boil. The howls of the creepy-crawlies reminded her that she was not alone just yet.

She pounded on the bubble with both fists, occasionally looking over her shoulder to see the flying grasshoppers come even nearer. Wendy threw her shoulder roughly against the foamy surface, hoping to trigger any sort of reaction that would get her out of her current jam.

"OPEN UP!" Wendy carried on with pounding on the blue barrier, "C'MON, ALREADY! OPEN SESAME OR WHATEVER! THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE HERE ANY – "

The noisy chattering sound in her ears alerted the teen that she may have spoken too soon. Wendy turned around to see that she had been surrounded by the bug men. Waving their antennae in her freckled face, they pressed down on the ginger, forcing her back onto the bubble.

"Uh…hey, guys…" Wendy offered a small, nervous wave. "Sorry about your buddy back there. To be fair, _he was_ invading my personal space so…"

The creatures had the girl pinned with her back literally against the wall. Wendy closed her eyes, the noxious smell of their bad breath splashed against her front. There was no apparent escape in front of her…

*ZIP!*

Miraculously, the blue bubble finally gave way, as Wendy fell through to the other side. "WHOA!"

Landing on her rear, she watched in wonder as it resealed itself before the alien soldiers could make their way through. Surprisingly, they didn't try to follow her into the new chamber.

"Weird…" Wendy noted, rising to her feet, and dusting herself off. The newly-discovered area varied greatly from the last, giving off a dank, harsh feel. The room was devoid of all life, leaving behind a few stone steps leading up to a mysterious statue.

_The silver effigy was that of a gargantuan hawk-like bird with almost-human-life features. Wendy noticed that it sported a similar styled armor to that of the grasshoppers. It lied in a sitting position, its head bowing down in respect, the pointed knees tucked up against its chest. The arms were extended outwards; a small brown sphere rested in its talons, as if the stranger was offering a gift to the confused redhead._

Wendy took her time making her ways up the steps, hoping that the slightest footfall wouldn't set off another impending danger. She made it safely to the raised dais, her curiosity getting the best of her. Wendy touched the ball with her index finger, flinching slightly as it melted away. Left in its place was _a flashing object resembling a model of an atom_ Wendy had once seen in Science Class. The center nucleus repeatedly changed colors with every few seconds as several spinning dots circled it endless, leaving behind elegant streaks in the air as they passed.

Her emerald eyes mesmerized by the majestic sight before her, Wendy went to reach out for the newfound object, only to stop herself at the last second. She shook her head clear, "What am I doing?! I have no idea what this thing is, let alone what it could possibly do…"

She looked around, noticing the absolute emptiness of the room she was confined to, "Then again, I can't hide in here forever." Her sights returned to the article before her, "What if this thing could help me fight those things out there?"

With a sense of restlessness rising up within her, Wendy threw her left hand into the atom. A bright light poured out from it, forcing her to cover her eyes with her free hand. When it faded away, Wendy looked down at her hand to see that it was now sporting_ an almost-robotic reddish-orange glove. A growing green gem resided in the backside of her limb_.

"Cool…" Wendy turned her wrist, analyzing every aspect of the change, "I wonder what it does…"

All of a sudden, the metal material moved past her hand, stretching itself over her entire arm, "_What the - ?"_ Before she could react, it spread across her entire chest, leaving behind splashes of yellow. Wendy went into a full-blown panic, trying any way she could to prevent the substance from spreading itself further.

"WAIT!" Wendy screamed, clawing at the hardened matter as it moved down upon her right arm. Seconds later, the whole limb was left a shiny lime green. "STOP!" It quickly extended down her waist and over her legs and feet, showing the same sprays of red and orange that her upper body was marked with.

Wendy could feel the irregular sensation heading up her neck and towards her head. Her breathing became more and more shallow. She wanted to yell and cry out for help, but knew that there wasn't anyone around that would be willing to help her.

"AAA –!"

Her screams were silenced as the inexplicable entity swallowed her completely, leaving Wendy locked inside a perpetual world of absolute darkness. The cashier was left alone in silence for an unknown amount of time; she didn't know if it had been seconds, minutes, days, or even years!

Finally, amongst the constant black, a series of green-tinted text appeared before Wendy's eyes:

**POWERING UP...CHOZO VARIA SUIT 3.0  
>VISOR...READY<br>ARM CANNON...READY  
>MORPHSPIDER BALL...READY  
>BEAMBOMB SYSTEMS…READY  
>HI-JUMP BOOTS...READY<br>SCREW ATTACK...READY  
>SYSTEM REBOOT IN 3..2..1..<strong>

"Huh? What is all of this stuff? What does it mean?!"

A moment later, it was as if the world has flashed back on; Wendy gasped as she saw a pair of bright green eyes looking back at her. It took a second to realize that _she was looking a reflection of her very own._

"Okay, that's kind of creepy…" Wendy figured by the likeness that her face was now behind some sort of helmet, complete with protector visor. Using both hands, she tried to reach up under her neck and pull the covering off, only to find it locked in position.

"Nice…" she bemoaned while continuing to struggle, "It's stuck tight…"

The ground started to shake beneath her feet. Wendy looked around to see that the raised steps began to sink into the ground, making a wave of dust flow upwards. The eyes of the bird statue shone darken yellow, sending Wendy into high alert.

"Oh, now what?!"

The falcon memorial rose up on its own power. Fully standing on its hind legs, the creature paced towards her, towering over the gaping teenager standing in awe of the sight before her. Wendy wondered if this thing that had attached itself to her had somehow awakened the statue.

"Hey there, big fella…" she tried to explain what had happened, "I don't know what's going on, but if you really want this thing back, I'd be more than happy to give it up. I just gotta figure out how to get it off…" She shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe you could tell me how…"

The statue made a creaking sound as it reached back and swatted Wendy away like a gnat, sending her flying into the wall. With a groan, she slowly made it way to one knee, the sudden shift in her weight made it harder to get up-right easily.

"Ugh…I'll take that as a "no…""

Wendy turned around, figuring that a hasty retreat might be the best choice, rather than being crushed to death. The blue exit had been transformed to a solid grey state, trapping her inside of the room with the colossal bird. Yet again, the living sculpture advanced on her.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Out of nowhere, a solid yellow laser beam shot out and struck the chest of the falcon, making its breast plate crumbles into pieces, exposing a system of networking wiring and gears. Back on her feet, Wendy looked to see that source had been a light-green blaster grafted onto where her right arm was supposed to be.

"How in the - ?" she questioned, pointing the arm cannon into the distance to gain a better view. "_Where did this thing come from? And how did I make it go_?" She looked ahead to see that the machine was started to recover from her surprise attack. "All I said was for it to stay away and then…"

Wendy started to understand how this thing worked, "I think I get it now…it's not physical, _it's mental_! It responses by what I think!" She focused all of her strength on the tip of the green cannon, and sure enough, a yellow spark started to form.

"It works!"

The ancient statue stood before her, its clawed hands extended out in preparation of another attack. "Hey, ugly!" Wendy challenged, pointing her new weapon at its damaged area, "Thanks for the gift!"

With that, another blast came forth from Wendy's right arm. Zapping the unprotected area a second time, the entire statue exploded into a million fiery pieces. With the threat eliminated, she looked back upon her firearm, "_That…was…intense…!_" Wendy patted the long tube affectionately, "I think I might hang on to you for a while longer…"

A blue flare came from behind her, forcing Wendy to spin around with arm cannon gripped. She found that the sealed-off balloon-door had returned to its original hue and squishy state.

"Huh…" Wendy pondered, lowering her gun, "I guess that big guy was holding it shut for some reason. I wonder why?"

Remembering that she could barely get the door to open with her bare hands, Wendy shot a light blast at the blue bubble. It opened immediately with a *ZIP!* sound.

"So, that's the deal!" She sped through the door and readied herself for another battle, only to find that all of her grasshopper pursuers had vanished without a trace. Wendy shook her helmeted head and mocked, "Of course they ran; now that it would be a fair fight!" She reflected on what had just happened in the other room, and wondered if the reason that she wasn't followed was because the bugs _knew_ what was waiting on the other side.

Taking a moment to relax, Wendy walked back to the murky pond and glanced down at her reflection. A red and yellow rounded helmet covered her head as a bright-green visor provided her a clear view of this new foreign world surrounding her. Sturdy, shell-like yellow shoulder pads were mounted upon a ruby breast plate. A rigid golden chest piece gave Wendy's abs an overly-exaggerated muscular outlook. The same thin, yet incredibly robust red-orange armoring wrapped down her arms and legs. Her feet were thrown into a pair of yellow boots that resembled a sort of futuristic hi-top sneakers.

The fear left Wendy as she found herself in amazement at the total stranger staring back at her, "_This…is…just wow! I look like some kinda insane killer robot from outer space! Only a crazy person would think that a girl would be inside this thing!"_

Remembering how the green blaster reacted to her thoughts, Wendy tried to clear her mind, forcing herself to be as mellow as humanly possible, in spite of the desperate situation before her. Again, she reached up and gently lifted the helmet upwards…

*CLICK!*

A rush of cool air caressed Wendy's freckled face as she tucked the helmet under her arm. She looked back in the lake to see that she was now apple-cheeked; her long cherry hair had becoming tangled and matted in the short while it had been encased. Wendy searched around the area for another path, only to come up empty-handed. She raised her sights to the unreachable platform she had passed earlier, figuring that she had nowhere else to go besides up. She let out a dejected sigh as she put her headwear back on.

Wendy took a few paces back, and began to sprint towards her goal. She huffed and puffed until she reached the start of the staircase, and speedily propelled herself upwards. Wendy reached out for the ledge, only to realize in mid-jump that she was going to come up short.

_"It's no use! I'm not going to reach it!"_

Suddenly, Wendy felt a boost shoot up beneath the soles of her feet, giving her the extra height that she needed to make the jump. She spun head over heels, only to stand on the protrusion with perfect precision.

"How in the heck did I -?" Wendy bent her knee, and lifted her leg in order to exam the underside of her new boots. Small holes producing hot pockets of air traveled along with the bottom of her heel to the tips of her toes; _she literally had rockets in her new shoes_!

"This just keeps getting cooler and cooler!" Wendy gleamed. "Man, if Dipper was here, he'd totally geek out and –"

The measly reference to her comrade, as if nothing had happened between the two of them, weighted heavy on her mind. Wendy knew that Dipper was in as much trouble as she was. She chalked up the odds of her little friend actually hearing her apology was slim to none. In that case, if the worse possible scenario had occurred, the redhead realized that the last thing she would had told him was how much she hated him, and how she blamed him for this mess. The taunting warning given by Rumble McSkirmish in her nightmare came flowing back into her sub consciousness…

Wendy shook away the negativity. She wouldn't let that happen! No matter what had been said and done between the two, she would find a way to save her Dipping Sauce!

"With this baby on my side…" she flicked a bit of space dust off her armored suit, "I'm sure I can take on anything that caped weirdo can toss at me. Once I find Dipper, we can figure out how to stop all of this, and then, we can try to sort out all that _other stuff_…" After all, Wendy believed that what she had told the video game fighter – _she knew that if everything was the opposite, Dipper would stop at nothing to find her._

The ginger looked up to see that another blue bubble door awaited her in the ceiling, "That is…if I figure out a way out of this place first…"

*ZIP!*

Wendy climbed out of the doorway to find herself in grassland surrounded by cauliflower-blue structure. She found it to be a vast improvement over the cold feeling of isolation and loneliness she felt while being imprisoned in the glowing cavern.

*EEEEEEKKKKKK!*

A shrill cry rang throughout the new passageway. Wendy followed the ear-piercing sound to the edge of the passage; the sight at the end brought her to a stand-still.

The vicious grasshopper-soldiers that had plagued her earlier had returned. Only this time, they had found a new victim to intimidate. Trapped in the corner of the verdant space, three tiny elven creatures shivered bunched together as the immense invaders advanced towards them. _The blue creatures reminded Wendy of miniature monkeys, except for the adorable little antennae onto their foreheads_.

The scene struck a nerve with the young woman. Perhaps it was that she felt empathy over being terrorized by the same monsters moments before. Maybe it was that she was reminded once more of her missing friend, and how the world always seemed to love picking on him. Wendy charged a shot in her blaster; luckily for Dipper and the baby apes in peril, she was such a person that had no problem defending the little guys when they needed it the most.

*BBBBLLLAAAAMMMMM!*

Two of the giant bugs exploded into a rainbow of dust-like pixels. The rest of the group turned around and screeched at the merciless orange combatant charging in their direction with guns blaring at full blast.

"BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!*

When all of the dust had cleared, only one insect fiend remained. The red shielded beast crossed its arms and shoved them off, releasing a glowing laser beam at the unaware teenager. It struck her in the chest, jolting her back a few yards.

_"Lasers?! These things had lasers_?!" Wendy wondered as she made it back to her feet, if it was this single one that had the advanced weaponry, or were the brutes were having too much fun frightening her when she was left defenseless. She returned another charged shot, only to have the grasshopper deflect it with its claws.

"Darn it!" she cursed, "I'm going to need something stronger, but where can I…"

Before Wendy could finish her sentence, the suit seemingly started to react to her thoughts again. Her green-tipped arm parted at the top, widening the blaster hole even further. A silver tip peeked out from the end.

"What's this? A new thingie?"

The bug roared at Wendy, lowering its head as it sprang into the air. She raised her arm and let the suit take over for her. In lieu of a charge beam, _a thin, flaming missile_ came rocketing out of her cannon, striking the villain with such velocity, its entrails splattered over the landscape in a colorful, pixel-covered mess.

"Good riddance…" Wendy lowered her weapon and stared at the still-shaking oddities before her. Beneath her visor, she offered a friendly smile and a simple wave of her metal hand, "Hiya!" An awkward silence spanned the nearly-empty arena as the azure monkey-like life forms stared up at her with soft, black eyes.

Wendy bent down as far as the restrictive suit would allow her to, "It's okay, really...those jerks are toast, so you guys don't have to be afraid…"

Without a moment's notice, they ran away from the kind-hearted fifteen year old and _leapt against the prickly wall. Wendy watched in awe as they skipped from hedge to hedge until they disappeared from sight._

"…anymore…"

She sighed to herself, and prepared to double-back in the opposite direction in hopes of finding another way out of the labyrinth. As Wendy went to go back, she felt a small hand brush against her right thigh. The ginger glimpsed down to see the third simian looking up at her with admiration.

"Hey…" Wendy calmly greeted through her helmet. "What's the matter? Why didn't go you with your friends?"

The monkey pulled its hand back repeatedly, as if it wanted Wendy to follow him. As was the case with its counterparts, the blue furball hurled itself against the side of the room, and boosted itself upwards with each leap and bound. Wendy remained on the ground, wondering what was it that it was trying to tell her.

Seeing that its rescuer was confused by its actions, the chimp dropped back to the earth, and welcomed her again to tag along. It jumped up two paces, clawing into the shaggy surface, and waited for Wendy to get the picture.

"Wait! You want me to…" She shook her head, "I can't, small fry! There's no way I can…"

The monkey interrupted her doubts with a rant made up of unintelligible grunts and murmurs. It reached downwards with its tiny paw and welcomed Wendy to its level.

"I can't believe I'm even considering this…" Wendy started to back up a bit. She knew she hadn't seen another path on the way in, plus, those little apes had to be going somewhere up there…

Putting her faith in her newfound allies and the mystifying suit that had adhered itself to her, Wendy took off towards the wall and at the last possible moment, threw herself against the edge. She somersaulted in mid-air, finding herself able to gain a small grasp on the downy rim. Following the example of her collaborator, Wendy pushed off against the partition and towards the opposite end; the boosters in the bottoms of her boots allowed her to glide effortlessly.

Seeing that she was making progress, the blue chimpanzee continued on its journey, as Wendy followed along in a reddish blur.

"Amazing…" Wendy said to herself; her mind and body in perfect harmony despite the constant dizzying spinning, "I'm flying up this thing like I'm some kind of ninja girl or something like that…"

At the top of the chamber, dozens of feet in the air, Wendy watched from the distance as the primate landed on a narrow ledge on the right side of the wall. It tucked itself into a small opening at the very bottom of the platform. Taking a deep breath, Wendy launched herself toward, pressing off with her booted feet, and reached out for the ledge with her free hand. Her heart rose into her throat as she started to descend.

At the last moment, Wendy was able to snag the cliff by the tips of her fingers. She struggled fiercely; sweat pouring down her covered brow as she was able to pull herself up. Resting on one knee, the redhead lowered her head into her chest as she caught her breath.

Once rested, Wendy tried her best to peer into the cubby-hole that her blue helpers had vanished into her. The overall bulkiness of her armor prevented her from exploring the chamber further.

"I can't believe this!" Wendy lamented, "I'm too big to follow them inside! _Who would design this thing where you can't crawl while wearing it_?! If only I can make myself a bit smaller…"

As if the suit had heard her wish, Wendy noticed that it seemed like her body began to shrink "Hey! Wait a sec-" Within seconds, she found herself at eye level with the darkened hole. Wendy went to move forward, only to notice that she was now _rolling_!

"Talk about being careful what you wish for!" The cynical ginger could feel _her body spin and rotate in a similar fashion to a ball_, and yet, her vision and structure remained the same, thankfully removing any instance of motion sickness. She revolved down the path, bumping along a set of twists and turns as she followed a dimming speck of light at the tunnel.

Wendy popped through the tunnel with an audible *POOF!* As soon as she reached stable ground, she could feel her body transform back into her original tall and thin figure.

"Well, that was trippy…" Wendy reflected on her transformation, "…but definitely nifty." She spied ahead to see that the three animals stood in front of an enormous structure etched into the stone wall. The girl walked towards the mini-aliens, wondering what had captured their attention, "Whatcha guys looking at…"

Wendy found herself standing before a set of hieroglyphics that stretched from the top of the cavern to the very bottom. While unable to decipher the strange foreign language that surrounded the piece, she took note of several drawings that appeared to tell some form of tale. Taking a few steps forward, Wendy narrowed her emerald eyes as she tried to make sense of the imagery.

"Let's see…"

The first illustration was that of a village being burnt to the ground. Several red shades highlighted the fires that consumed the simple-looking buildings. Wendy gasped upon seeing the depiction of the invaders.

"It's those bug things!"

The next illustration had a crying female child being comforted by a group of towering, bird-like extraterrestrials; they, too, also triggered a memory within Wendy's psyche, "They look like that statue thing that had the suit – _so they're really the good guys_?! Then, why did it attack me?!"

The portraits that followed seemingly told the story of how the eagles raised the girl from infancy to adolescence. They taught her how to play; how to fight hand-to-hand, and with weaponry; _they showed her how to survive._

"They – they raised this girl…" Wendy wondered. "_It looks like that they were a big, happy, foster family…_" A wave of sadness overcame the teen, as she wasn't just reminded of her own family, but that of her makeshift one back at the Mystery Shack.

The last set of paneling chronicled the return of the nasty grasshoppers. This time, they were engaged in battle with the bird creatures. The drawing gave indication that the efforts were neck-in-neck, resulting in losses on both sides.

"Those pests…" Wendy theorized, "It's like, they're locusts or something. They go from place to place plundering and destroying whatever they can get their grimy mitts on…"

The final portrayal was that of _the little girl – now grown up and matured, receiving an armored suit similar to the one that Wendy wore. Just as she had, the girl used all of the skills she had been taught, along with the new artillery, to fight back against the raiders that attacked her home_.

Wendy stepped back from the hieroglyphics, her mind blown by the recent disclosure. To her, the whole scenario felt way too convenient, and yet, here she was. The girl in the drawing used the suit given to her by the bird people in order to fight against monsters and protect the people she cared about, and Wendy was just in the process of doing _the exact same thing_!

"That's…crazy!" Wendy took one last look at the construction as all of the pieces started to come together in her head. "What if this whole nightmare was something more? What if it was like, _destined_ to happen no matter what? What if I had to find this thing in order to stop those guys and have a shot to get out of here?"

With a renewed sense of strength and optimism, Wendy thanked her new pals and quickly parted ways; they waved good-bye with their stubby blue-furred arms. Out of the corner of her eye, she could make out another blue bubble door leading to a new destination. She stood in front of it, reflecting on everything that she had been shown, and zapped the door open with a short beam.

*ZIP!*

_"Hang on, Dipper! I'm on my way!"_


	10. Chapter 9

_"All alone, I pierce the chain.  
>And on and on, the sting remains.<br>And dying eyes consume me now,  
>the voice inside screams out loud!<br>I am focused on what I am after:  
>the key to the next open chapter.<br>'Cause I found a way to steal the sun from the sky.  
>Long live that day that I decided to fly from the inside."<em>

"Fly from the Inside," by Shinedown

**Chapter 9 – Reborn**

"Stay away! Stay away!"

Dipper raised his head from the mud as a sharp cry awoken him from his unanticipated slumber. As consciousness quickly returned, he remembered wiggling free from the monstrous purple pterodactyl's grip, which sent the headstrong lad pummeling to the earth below.

"But how did I survive?" Dipper turned around to see that the blue and white parka hanging from the loose branch of a withered tree at the edge of the Gravity Falls Forest. By pure luck, the simple garment had saved his life for a second time. As he got to his feet, Dipper noticed that the weather had returned to its usual summertime standard. He set his sights upwards towards the mountaintops from which he had just descended, watching in awe as the blizzard that he faced earlier seemed to be limited to the higher altitude.

"Weird…" He reached on top his head to find it bare, excluding the thick, messy patch of brown hair that resided there. Dipper looked around for his missing blue and white pine tree cap, only to find no trace of it. He kicked at the dirt in frustration, "Great! I must of lost it in the fall. Now, I have to swipe another one when Stan isn't looking…"

"Stop! Cease at once!"

Once more, Dipper's ears perked at the sound of the distressed call. Following the noise, he made his way through the remaining shrubbery of the woods, peeking through a thick, nettled bush to see what the matter was.

In the distance, an elderly man was being chased by what appeared to be a swarm of black and red bats. The horde dove one by one at the defenseless senior in an effort to knock him off balance. _The stout grown-up had ruffled long white hair with a matching fuzzy beard. His appearance reminded Dipper of Santa Claus for some reason. Dressed in a dusty white lab-coat, beige slacks, and oversized brown loafers_, the man tripped over his own legs as the bats closed in for the kill.

Dipper found himself at a standstill. The last thing he needed was to be hunted by another group of monsters. At the same time, he knew deep down, that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he was to stand by and let an innocent person get hurt by these things.

"…especially if Wendy was right," he regretted, "…and all of this is my fault somehow…"

Without thinking twice, Dipper picked up a nearby branch, and charged out of the brushes, blinding swinging away at the hovering enemies. With a lucky shot, he was able to make contact with one of the creatures, sending it crashing into the ground.

To his surprise, the bat split into two, revealing that its insides were made up of a system of complicated circuitry and wirings. Dipper threw his head back as it started to spark and ignite wildly, "Hold on, that thing…_was a robot_?"

Angered by the destruction of one of its own, the flock refocused its efforts towards the tiny defender. Dipper continued to swat away at the robotic bats until they overwhelmed him, forcing him to drop his weapon and retreat into a defensive ball on the ground. He tucked back as tightly as he could, trying his best to avoid being pecked and bitten by the flying menaces. Dipper closed his eyes, the squeaks and chattering echoed in his ears.

All of a sudden, the atmosphere grew quiet yet again. Dipper could no longer feel the flapping of their mechanical wings. He opened his eyes to see that the bats flew off into the distance to parts unknown. Seeing that the scene was now safe, Dipper stood back up and headed towards the fallen elder. He offered a helping hand towards the stranger, "Are you alright?"

The man looked up, gripping Dipper's minuscule hand; his soft brown eyes gleaming, "Thank you, my boy! Thank you!" He rose up, and dusted himself off, "I don't know exactly what happened, but I knew that you would come!"

Dipper was confused by his answer, "You –You did?"

"Why, of course!" The golden-ager responded with much enthusiasm, "Whenever have you let me down?" He looked back towards Dipper, "_After all, I know that I can always count on you, Roc_ – " He stopped in mid-sentence as he studied the boy in front of him. "I – I'm sorry," he apologized with a hint of disappointment in his tone, "I thought…I thought you were someone else…"

"Who?"

The old man lowered his head as he sighed, "I thought that you were _my son_…" He looked up and met Dipper eye to eye, "To be honest, you could easily be his spitting image." The senior shook his thoughts clear, "Either way, I thank you, young man for your assistance."

Dipper smiled and waved away his concern, "Don't mention it, mister, but just what were those things? They weren't real!"

The man smiled and adjusted his blue and yellow polka-dotted tie, "Forgive my stinginess, but it's actually "_Doctor_." To answer your question, those "things" are called "_Battons_." Not the strongest units out there, but then again, their primary function is for use as scouts.

"Scouts? For what?"

The doctor itched his fuzzy beard, "For something far worse, I'm afraid. Those blasted 'bots have been pursuing me since my arrival in this strange place!"

Dipper found himself astonished all over again, "Wait, wait, wait! You're saying you're not from Gravity Falls?!" A horrid thought crossed his mind, "_What if he's from the games, like those other guys working for that purple jerk_?" He glanced over the elder, whose eyes shot around the area as if he was expecting someone else. "Nah," Dipper dismissed, "The geezer's totally harmless. Everything else I've encountered didn't even look remotely human."

The professor stepped forward, "I wish we had more time to converse, but we must make haste immediately! It is only a matter of time before the Battons report my location back to _them_…"

"Them who?"

Before the doctor could respond, a rustling rose up from the foliage in front of them. Shortly after, the sensation spread throughout the entire line of healthy undergrowth. Dipper looked back at the worried man as his face turned pale, "It's too late…they're already here…"

His reaction only shaken Dipper's nerves more so, "_Who's here_?!"

_"…the Robot Masters…"_

From the center bush, a tall metallic figure treaded out from the shadows. Donning red and yellow armor, the masked form wore what looked like a _razor-edged metal blade_ on top of his horned helmet. He sported the same cogs as shoulder pads. A golden jewel resting in its chest plate flashed the initials "_Dr. W_." on and off like a light switch. His cold blue eyes never faltered off of his objective.

Despite the menacing appearance before him, Dipper felt a sense of relief wash over him, "Only one new bad guy? It could be worse, I guess. Besides, he doesn't look so tough anyways – "

Dipper's words instantly dried up as three more robots appeared at their brethren's side, each more grotesque looking than the last. The leftmost automaton appeared to be _a jungle-green scuba diver with a ruby-red glowing center _with the same monogram as the other robot. The small detective could easily make out _an improvised harpoon gun_ on its left arm. His beady eyes narrowed at Dipper from behind a murky set of goggles. _A mysterious nozzle was left open upon his forehead._

The center android reminded Dipper of _the classic Zippo lighter that his redheaded counterpart usually carried around, save for the stubby set of red arms and legs stemming from his sides_. The boy could see a dim reflection of himself in the green circle implanted into the machine's midsection. As a thin layer of flame surrounded him, the top half of the lighter-body threw itself backwards, _revealing a red and orange pie face hidden within._

The furthermost automaton looked like _a_ _giant walking blue air conditioner. His saddened eyes were mounted where his shoulders blades were supposed to be. The entire stomach was made up of an enormous fan that constantly spun without end. Lurching towards on miniature yellow legs that barely supported the overwhelming weight, he had identical shooters spliced on both of his arms._

"Okay…" Dipper backpedaled. "_Four guys_, but again, not the worst possible scenario. Maybe the best offense in this case would be a good defense, and…"

To his horror, another _four_ hunters jumped out from the darkness of the forest. At the left edge, a thin and nimble red robot stood next to his heavily armored blue and yellow partner. _The crimson being looked up, the sun reflecting off of its boomeranged-shaped horn sticking out of his helmet_, and flashed Dipper a haunting, sinister smile. _The sapphire-colored villain armed the ivory-shaded blaster on its hand. The smooth, balding spot in the center of its helmet easily distracted Dipper with its outstanding gleam. _

On the opposite side, _a maroon android came closer, donning a suit of body armor similar to that what an S.W.A.T. officer would wear. With his face hidden behind a thick face-cover, it rotated its unusual-looking arms, a pair of extremely sharp drills, in an intimating manner_. The last one creepily resembled_ a living tree trunk slowly making its way to the front of the crowd_. The only clue that indicated that _there was something more within the wooden frame was a pouting face sticking out of the top end_.

"EIGHT?! THERE ARE EIGHT OF THEM?!"

The group of motorized men marched forward as one union, closing in the two vulnerable humans. Left baffled by the sudden appearance, Dipper went to approach the new threats, "Who are you guys? And what do you want with -?"

*THWANG!*

A circular saw was hurled at the soft earth, nearly missing Dipper's sneakered feet by mere inches. With a literal line drawn in the ground, Dipper looked up to see that the center robot had thrown the pointy gear with deadly accuracy.

"How the –" Dipper questioned, "_It was like magic! He pulled it out of nowhere!"_

"Silence, whelp!" He pointed straight at the insignificant defender. "We have no business with you!"

The boomerang-horned robot disappeared in a red flash, only to reappear at the front of the group. Dipper jumped backwards at the miraculous sight, "_How did he do that?!"_

He turned back towards the old-timer, "You said they're robots, right? Well, what about _Asimov's Laws of Robotics_? I thought that means that they can't kill humans!"

"True, my lad," he explained, "But with that being said, you'd be surprised what the average human _could live_ _through_…"

"You know why we are here, old man," he spoke to the cornered elder, ""_The Good Doctor_" has been awaiting your arrival for quite some time now." He struck a pose, ready to pounce at any given moment, "It would be in your best interests to simply surrender…"

Dipper could feel the doctor start to move pass him. Surprised by this notion, the teenager held out his arm to halt his progress. "What are you doing?! You're going to give up, just like that?"

He let out a defeated heave, "It's no use, my boy. I appreciate your valid efforts, but this is the only way things could end peacefully…"

As Dipper watched the doctor shuffle towards his ultimate fate, a burning feeling started to form in the pit of his stomach. To him, the injustice that he watched unfold before his eyes was just another example of how the cruel world preys upon the weak and fragile with little or no consequence. The way that the stranger was being taken away only reminded Dipper of how Wendy was whisked out of his life – _both physically and mentally_. It wasn't right! It wasn't fair! And it made him want to fight back!

He jolted towards and snagged the corpulent man's sleeve, "C'mon, Doc! We gotta get out of here!"

"But what - ?"

"It doesn't matter!" Dipper pushed forward, knowing that the gang of robots would be right behind them, "We can't give in like this! We have to, at least, try!"

The stubborn thirteen year old dragged the good-natured doctor into the main street of downtown Gravity Falls as they heard voices coming from behind.

"Hey, they're getting away!"

"Let 'em run! It's not like they can go far! Besides, I feel like having _a little fun_…"

Dipper rushed up to every nearby building, looking inside of their doors and windows for any signs of life. All of the entrances he encountered had been sealed up tight, refusing to budge in the slightest.

"I…can't…believe…this!" Dipper strained in vain, trying to pry open a window close at hand. _"Where is everybody?! It's like the whole world vanished!"_

_"_Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

They rounded the corner, as Dipper pointed into the distance, "There!" As fate would have it, the two had bumped into the old _Barrels & Crates, Incorporated_ warehouse. The youngster recalled his visit to the run-down factory the very first time the barrier between the digital and physical worlds were breached, when Rumble McSkirmish chased Robbie up and down its oddly angled scaffolding. Luckily, the shipping dock had been left open.

"This way!" Dipper pulled the doctor inside of the warehouse. They found themselves in what appeared to be an abandoned assembly line. Half-finished products and halted conveyor belts were covered in layers of dust and cobwebs. The paint on the bricked wall was starting to peel in countless areas, leading Dipper to believe that the factory hadn't been cared for in a long while.

He jumped up and reached for the sliding door, only to come up short. Grunting, the pint-sized teen lowered himself down and sprang upwards with all of his strength, barely catching the handle by the edge of his fingertips. The steel flap slid down with a loud *CRASH!* He bent down and threw back the latch, locking the gate securely.

Dipper stepped away from his handiwork, dusting his hands off, as he looked back at the worn out doctor, "There!" he prided. "That should keep us safe for a while!" However, the elder simply shook his head, "I wouldn't be too sure…"

"What do you –"

*KLANG! KLANG! KLANG!*

Three of the metal-bladed projectiles pierced the fortified entry, nearly making their way through the hardened layer. "Whoa!" Dipper hopped away from the possible threat. "What are they?" he asked the professor, "And what do they want with you?"

The doctor pinched above his bulbous nose as he started to explain, "They are known as the _Second Numbers_. _They are_ _war machines created by an insanely jealous rival of mine. Their main objective is the destruction of my own son_."

"Wait a sec! Those killing machines were made to fight _a single boy_?!"

A proud smile stretched across the man's face as he placed a hand on Dipper's shoulder, "_He is so much more than a mere boy_…"

*THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!*

The two looked behind them to see that the Robot Masters were starting to pound their way into the sealed-up factory.

"…but he's nowhere to be found, so they decided that _I'm_ the best next thing…"

"But isn't there something that we can do?! Dipper pleaded, "There has to be a way to stop them, right?!"

The doctor lowered his eyes to the grimy floor as a huge crunching noise boomed through the empty room. Dipper spun around to see several metallic fists bursting their way through the now-ruined door.

_"…There is a way…"_

Dipper looked back at the doctor. The man's soft eyes gleamed as he stared in space.

_"…but I swore "never again." It is terrible enough that my boy must always bear this awful burden, let alone I allow it to happen to another innocent child…_"

"Please!" Dipper gripped his white lab coat, "If there is a way to stop this, I am willing to try! _I want to do this!"_

The professor focused on the earnest boy standing before him, "Not only do you share _his_ looks, but _his_ spirit as well…" He reached into his oversized coat pockets as he raised his sights, "May the heavens forgive me for this…"

A moment later, he pulled out an object and offered it to Dipper. In his palm laid a purplish-blue wristwatch with red stripes set into the edges. A tiny yellow LCD monitor flicked a static buzz. Below it, a large cauliflower-colored button stuck out like a sore thumb. A polished silver band connected it.

Dipper plucked it up with his index finger and thumb, holding it close to his face for a better look, "Hmm…a watch? What's this supposed to do?"

"It was meant to serve as a way to enable him to switch between his regular self and his…_other form_…" he elaborated, "But given the varying physics of this strange place, the probability is extremely high that carrying this will allow you to use _the same gifts_…"

The boy wrapped the wristwatch around his left hand and buckled it tightly. "Okay, then. Seems easy enough…" Dipper pressed the huge key, activating the odd endowment. The screen flashed several times before displaying a bright-orange text, "SWITCH ON!"

"A small warning: _there might be some slight discomfort as your body adjusts itself to the change…_"

"How slight – AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!"

A split second later, Dipper's legs fell out from beneath him, sending him crashing to the ground. His body began to twitch and seize uncontrollably. He couldn't see as his vision turned blurry. His hearing disappeared, only to be replaced with an ear-piercing screeching sound. His head throbbed like if a jackhammer pounded from inside of his head. Dipper screaming to the top of his lungs as every orifice of his body felt like it was lit aflame!

The doctor stepped back, a frown over his bearded face as he could see how much anguish had quickly overtaken the brave child. Despite knowing it was an unavoidable, necessary evil, his heart went out to his brave rescuer, who pledged to make things right however he could.

After countless moments passed, the pain passed. The feeling returned to the fallen adolescent's body. For some reason, he felt heavier. His sight and hearing returned with a deeper clarity. Dipper opened his eyes to see that he was lying in front of a broken mirror. He pushed himself upwards and crawled closer, trying to understand what had just occurred.

Looking into the reflection, he gasped in terror as he noticed that _something seemed to be moving beneath his flesh!_ He turned to his left and right to see small bumps moving up and down the insides of his arm. Dipper looked back into the mirror to see that his dark brown eyes had been replaced with _glowing blue ones that shone as if he had headlights built into his retinas!_

"What's…what's happening to me?!"

He turned towards the doctor for help, only to see that the old man had problems of his own. The Robot Masters had made their way into the factory, surrounding the elder to prevent any further escape. In the center, the red, bladed-helmet-wearing robot came forth and clutched him by the collar, "Come along, dear Doctor, before our patience wears thin!"

"Stop…"

Dipper inched closer as the eight warriors paid him no heed.

"Stop it…"

The angry sensation swiftly returned. Like a fire burning within his soul, he reached out with his right arm and shouted as loud as he could:

"STOP! OR I WILL MAKE YOU STOP!"

*KA-KOOSH!*

A cerulean blast shot across the room, striking the threatening android, and sending it across the room. It splattered against the wall with a sickening thud, before sliding down to the floor, releasing a series of explosions along the way.

All eyes on the room soon centered on Dipper as he found the strength to make it back to his feet. The remaining robots backed away from their quarry; a series of whispers rushed out between them as they began to panic as they spotted the bringer of their reckoning:

"No! It can't be!"

"How could _he_ be here?"

"They said there was no way _he_ could make it though to this world!"

Unsure by what had just happened, Dipper glanced towards his still-outstretched arm to see that it had undergone an incredible transformation. His right hand was replaced by what appeared to be a bulky arm cannon. A glowing yellow meter found in the center shot up and down rapidly, making Dipper think it was a form of power indicator. An armored light-blue layer traveled down his arm to his shoulder.

"RETREAT!"

They disappeared from sight, vanishing back into the outside world. However, Dipper could tell otherwise. Even from a distance, he could make out the ticking of his enemies' man-made innards.

"But how?"

His eyes widened as he watched as the tip of his cannon retracted into its socket. His right hand, now outfitted in a thick, dark blue glove poked out in its place.

"Cool…" Dipper examined his new accessory from every possible angle. "Did you see that?" he asked the professor, "My hand can pop out of the thingie!"

"Ah, yes," he nodded in response, "Your "_buster_" is capable of many great things. For example, try focusing all of your energy into that one spot…"

Following the man's instructions, Dipper stared firmly at the gun, concentrating as hard as he could without having his attention wane in any way.

*WHHHIIIRRR!*

Dipper's covered hand had disappeared back into the machinery as the ending started to glow neon green. Feeling the pressure build up in his wrist, he pointed in the opposite direction, making sure to get the elder's approval though.

"WWWHHHHOOOOOSSSSHHHHH!"

A large green plasma discharge flew across the room, making a saucer-sized hole in the right side of the room. Once again, Dipper looked upon his new attachment in amazement, left in total belief of the vast power left in his able hands. Left with a new mindset, Dipper proceeded to head towards the exit of the factory.

"Wait a moment, son!" The doctor called out after him. "Where are you going?"

"Those things are still out there. They're only acting like they left." He turned around with a puzzled expression on his face, "I know it sounds weird, but…_I can still hear them_…"

"Before you go," the man beckoned, waving his hand back for Dipper to come, "There is one last thing I must teach you." He pointed at the fallen robot in the opposite corner, "Hurry to him…"

The odd partnership came within reach of the mangled war-weapon. He was left slumped against the cold ground; a crater-shaped hole through his chest, exposing a network of complicated circuity within the slim casing.

"Touch him…"

"Huh?!"

The scientist eased himself downwards for a closer look, "Trust me, my boy. Place your free hand anywhere on his body..."

With a slight hesitation, Dipper bent down and placed his left hand, now transformed the same shades of blue as his right, on the red robot's thigh. Upon touch, his cobalt fingertips began to glow. A strange, numerical language appeared in the throes of his sub-consciousness, as if submitted by telepathy. The digits ran through his mind as they would a computer screen, until he was left with a simple, text-based message:

**"WEAPON GET – DWN-009 – METAL BLADE"**

Dipper felt something appear in his right hand. He looked down to see that his buster had disappeared. However, a giant spiked cog, the same type that the destroyed android wielded, sat in the palm of his hand.

"How did I –"

"Perhaps the greatest gift I gave him…" the elder enlightened, "…_was the ability to copy the weapons of those he encountered_. It is the nature of all things that with a great strength comes a great weakness."

The boy thought about it for a moment, "So, it's like _Rock-Paper-Scissors_ in a manner of speaking. Everyone has a sort of Achilles' Heel…"

"Exactly!" he clapped his hands together, "Just like that!"

"Um…how do I go back to normal?"

"Just think about switching your weaponry. The armor will take care of the rest…"

Dipper glanced down at his arm, seeing that it returned to the rounded cannon from before.

A concerned look soon formed on the scientist's face, "Are you sure you want to do this? I'm sure there could be another way…"

"Perhaps," Dipper admitted, "But either way, someone else could get hurt if I let those guys loose. There are tons of people in this town, even if they aren't around at the moment…" The creeping guilt crawled its way back in his mind, "_It's bad enough I let them take Wendy without as much as a fight_…"

The proud teacher placed his hands on Dipper's shoulders, "Then, I wish you luck, lad. Remember all that you have learned here, and I'm certain you'll stand victorious!"

"That…That makes two of us…_I hope_…"

Returning towards the entrance, Dipper passed by the mirrored wall. He stopped in his tracks, as he was able to finally see the full extent of his metamorphosis.

Dipper stood in shock as his entire body was encased by _an azure armor; a skintight pale blue bodysuit made of a type of metallic alloy. His feet were covered in oversized protective boots that reached up to his knees, drenched in the dim blue that coated his hands. The same shade could be found on the briefs just below his mid-section, protecting his more delicate parts. _

_A curved helmet was secured on his head, hiding away his messy brown hair. In the center, a raised sky-colored square was posted below a matching lengthy ridge, reminding Dipper of a sort of exclamation point. A rounded cerulean blued section with a red circle in between sat on each side of the headwear, exactly where his ears would be located._ Dipper attributed them to his new-found super hearing.

Taking in his new appearance, Dipper stepped back and sheepishly struck a pose, his confidence growing with every passing second.

_"Yeah…maybe I can do this…"_

Dipper went outside, his left arm hoisted on top of the arm cannon on the other. An unsettling breeze flowed through the empty street.

"And cue the tumbleweed…" Dipper spat out sarcastically.

A huge figure swayed into the scene. The colossal robot sheathed in wooden wrap waddled forward, taking carefully placed step after step to avoid toppling over. His mouth twisted in an "O" shape as he started to pound on his hallowed chest like a bongo drum.

Suddenly, a bundle of leaves rose up from the ground and floated into the air. The bunch circled around the woodland machine, hovering up as if it was a shield protecting him.

"What is he doing?" Dipper narrowed his eyes at the odd sight in disbelief.

"HO!" the enemy threw his arms forward, launching the leaves in Dipper's path.

"Leaves? He's attacking me with _leaves_? What kind of pathetic –"

As they passed him, Dipper felt the edges pierce his new metal skin. In reflex, he threw his arms up and crossed them over his face, hoping they would be able to supply valid protection. He lowered them, noticing a series of nicks and scrapes across his shiny armor. Dipper noted one of the projectiles literally sticking out of his waist. He pulled it out and held it up for closer inspection, "A sharp-edged blende leaf. That's just peachy…"

He looked back to see that the robot began his drumming pattern. Another set of pointy leaves started to form around him.

"I gotta take him down now…" Dipper readied his gun, "…before he shoots those things off again!"

He charged his blaster, and holding the aim firmly, let loose a group of energy blasts.

*BING! BING! BING!*

All three shots ricocheted off of the Robot Master. A devious smile formed as he continued his deadly ritual.

"What?!" Dipper looked on stunned. "He deflected it!"

"HO!" Another wave of leaves came his way, forcing Dipper to dodge out of the way at the last moment. As he stood back up, an idea flashed in his head.

"The metal weapon!" Dipper exclaimed. "It should turn this guy to sawdust!" He hastily switched gears and produced a saw. "Hope this works!" The blue hero hurled gear after gear at the robot, hoping that he would strike his target before the next shield was pulled up.

"GRH!"

The copse automaton was pinned against the closest tree by the three metal blades, sparking and igniting until he stopped moving altogether. Dipper cautiously drew near the destroyed robot and held his hand against his pierced body. Once more, the binary code flashed in Dipper's mind, leaving behind a meager translation:

**"WEAPON GET – DWN-016 –LEAF SHIELD"**

_"Well, that's two..."_

*THRONG!*

Dipper looked to his left to see that a thin, white harpoon struck out of the tree in front of him. He turned around to see the scuba-gear-donning robot pointing his yellow blaster at him.

"Darn it!" he gurgled behind the heavy mask on his face, "I missed him!"

"No kidding, froggy!" Dipper replied with much gusto in his voice.

The android shook his fist in anger, "You dare mock me! You'll *BURBLE* pay for this insult!" He hopped towards his enemy with tiny hops. Dipper shortly realized that the machine's webbed feet were welded together; _the hilarious method was the only way it could actually move_!

Dipper snickered at the small jumps, making the scuba diver even angrier.

"Just you wait!"

Something clear was starting to form from the nozzle on top of the robot's head. _A massive bubble_ came sprouting forth. It rolled along the ground towards Dipper's direction.

"_A bubble_? Are you kidding me? What's your encore? You gonna bludgeon me with a dolphin?!"

However, the laughs dried up once Dipper noticed that everything that the bubble came into contact with started to melt beneath it!

"What?! What is it?!" he questioned. "Some sort of hydrochloric acid?!"

"Actually, it's boiling-hot _lead_!" the menacing prided.

With the threat moments away, Dipper produced a handful of the helpful metal spikes.

"I hope this works!"

The armored teenager blindly chucked the blades into the immense bubble, popping it instantly. Dipper covered his face in order to prevent it from being singed. When he looked again, puddles of dissolving liquid had been sprayed across the earth. The diver robot lay in the middle of the road, deactivated due to the two sharpened cogs lodged in his chest.

_"Make that three…" _He looked back at the weapon in his hand, "Man, this thing is nifty! _It's like it can plow through nearly anything_!"

Dipper knelt down on one knee and touched his forehead. His glowing hand began to profile the special ability.

**"WEAPON GET – DWN-011 – BUBBLE LEAD"**

Before he could get back up, what appeared to be a moving fireball roared past Dipper. He jumped back as the flame came back around, barely missing its mark.

"It's almost like it's targeting me! But how could that be?"

From within the fire, Dipper could see a yellow object start to form. It was the lighter-looking robot from earlier! It threw its flappable head back, revealing its somewhat cute figure beneath.

"So," he cried out in a squeaky voice, "You think you're hot stuff, don't cha? Well, how's about you let a pro show ya how's it really done!"

The living Zippo threw its fists into the air, shooting out a wave of loose fireballs. Dipper dodged foot by foot, trying his best to avoid stepping into the raving fire. He readied his preferred weapon, "This worked for the others; it should do the same to him!"

Dipper tossed a few saws at the robot set ablaze, only to watch in shock as the shots liquefied before reaching their intended target.

"Uh-oh!"

The lighter-bot flicked his fingers at Dipper, making a living column of fire rush towards him. There was no escape!

"Okay, okay!" he tried to calm his nerves. "What was it that the Doctor said? Everything has a weakness! So, what stops fire? Water…which is wetness…which can be…bubbles!"

Without thinking twice, Dipper armed the bubble weapon. His right hand changed back into the arm cannon. Pointing at the ground, he let loose a half a dozen shots. He watched as the bubbles crashed against the moving tower of flame, dissipating them completely. They continued onwards towards the Robot Master, who threw his arms up in a panic.

"AIIIIIEEEEEE!"

*KA-BLAM!*

The scene was covered with a thick layer of steam, making it impossible to see anything. Dipper waved away the heavy vapor, in an effort to find out what happened to his enemy. The tip of his boot knocked against something solid.

He looked down to see the yellow robot, his lighter-esque case shut closed, face down in the dirt. The deep condensation rose up from its ruined corpse. Dipper poked his fingers at the shell, only to pull back in extreme pain.

"Yeow! He's so hot, I even felt him through the armor!"

**"WEAPON GET – DWN-015 – ATOMIC FIRE"**

Dipper switched weapons, only to discover that both hands were now enflamed! Amused by this new development, the curious child stuck his index fingers outwards and made several shapes in the air using the shorten fire.

"Incredible…"

A large gust of wind blew across the land, extinguishing the flames instantaneously.

"Ohh…"

Suddenly, another squall came rushing inwards with the velocity of a hurricane. Dipper was knocked off his feet, only to be hauled into a gigantic boulder amiss the greenery of the side streets, landing painfully on his back. With a groan, he pulled himself upwards, only to have a third blast push him back down.

"Sorry to knock the wind out of you…" The air-conditioner looking robot came forth; his twin blasters focused solely on Dipper, "…but you're getting too full of hot air!" Both arm cannons shot dual mini-twisters at the teen, leaving him pinned against the rock.

"Man! That's the very last thing I need right now!" Dipper tilted his head, trying his best to see through the double-twister, "Another killer 'bot that makes stupid puns!"

With his arms weighted down by the overwhelming force, Dipper could only watch as the indigo nuisance came ever closer. His once-gloomy eyes were now a murderous red.

"Can't aim at him …"

Within seconds, the Robot Master was literally on top of him. The rapidly rotating fan that made up his stomach was edging towards Dipper's nose. The machinery unexpectedly reminded the boy of his silly sister's zany exploits with the Mystery Shack's leaf blower.

"It may be my only chance. Gotta take it!"

Lacking the use of his hands, Dipper was able to change weapons without the villain's knowledge. As with its original owner, a group of leaves rose up from the earth and began to hover around him. The powerful winds had no effect on their flight patterns.

Dipper shot the bunch directly in the moving fan blades. The robot stopped in place as its torso started to make a sickening grinding sound. The metal leaves had jammed the fan! He reached towards his chest in an attempt to clear the blockage.

"What…" he asked in a breathless gasp, "What have you done to me?!"

*KA-WOOSH!*

An explosion erupted within the robot's mid-section, throwing him well into the distance. Dipper gave chase after his corpse, knowing it would be foolish to ignore such a valuable weapon. He stooped down by his former adversary and set his hand on his shoulder…

**"WEAPON GET – DWN-010 – AIR SHOOTER"**

"_Five down, th_ –"

"Three to go…" A voice called out from behind him. Dipper stood back up to see the riot-gear wearing robot with drills for arms leering at him from around the way. "For a human, I must admit, you put up a good fight. But then again, you fought against mere appliances!" He thumped a drill bit against his thicken chest. "I am a robot specifically built for combat! Anything you can do, I can do better!"

"Oh, really?!" Dipper challenged, reverting back to his original buster. "Try giving me a standing ovation! I'd love to see you do that without any hands!"

The android took off in a blaze, his drills revving boisterously, "You'll pay dearly for that, brat!" Dipper pointed his blaster at the threat, only to have him take to the air before his energized bullets touched him. The armored rival launched the drills from his arms, only to have them hit the soil around Dipper's feet.

"AHA!" Dipper poked fun, "You missed!"

He landed with his back to the bragging boy; a new of drills formed in the empty holes where the others had been. He turned his head and flashed a devilish grin, "Did I?"

Dipper looked down to see the multi-colored tips of the projectiles started to flash. With every second passed, the blinking grew faster and faster…

"Oh no!"

*KA-POW! KA-POW!*

Dipper jumped out of the way just as the two entrenched drills exploded in a fiery blast. Knocked onto his knees, he tried to find his way through the dirt cloud as a high-pitched howl shot through the air. Dipper raised his head to see the shelled automaton flying through the air with both drills pointed downwards. Before he could get away, the left arm landed on Dipper's shoulder, making him wail out in pain!

With both fists recalled, the wounded teenager gritted his teeth and threw a powerful punch into the robot's face, sending it skidding across the gravel. Dipper tried to shoot at the swift opposition, only to have it hop over his head again. The instant beeping sound alerted him that more bombs had been planted into the ground, forcing him to flee.

*KA-POW! KA-POW! KA-POW!*

"This is hopeless!" Dipper thought to himself. "He's too fast for me to blast! If only I can use his own weapon against him…" A smirk slowly spread across his face as an idea came to mind.

"Is that the best you can do, armless wonder?!" Dipper ridiculed. He waved his arms like crazy, "I'm right here! Hit me with your best shot!"

The metallic desperado bounded towards him in an orange blur, discharging two more bombs in Dipper's direction, "Coming right up!"

At the last moment, Dipper switched his weapon out. He pointed his arm cannon into the sky and let loose a flowing mini-whirlwind of his own. The drill-bits became caught in the air pocket; the force of the flurry sent them back to their owner.

"Ah, nuts!"

*KA-POW!"

A cloud of smoke and dust lingered in the sky. The only remains of the machine, a red drilled arm, landed on the ground with a noisy crunch. Dipper picked up the severed limb as a new message flashed in his head:

**"WEAPON GET – DWN-013 – CRASH BOMBER"**

Dipper looked around the empty crosswalk. The sudden silence only added to his ever-growing paranoia.

"Where are the other two?"

*FLASH!*

A bright light flashed before Dipper's eyes, completely blinding him of his surroundings. Strangely enough, it felt as if his entire body had frozen over. When his sight returned, he found himself staring straight into the white-colored barrel of the blue, balding shielded Robot Master.

"Howdy…"

He shot off a series of rapid-fire spreader shots, forcing Dipper to trip backwards, landing hard on his behind. Narrowly missing the barrage, the lad raised his arm to return fire…

*FLASH!*

Another glowing radiance left Dipper dazzled. When he came to, the brute disappeared from in front of him. A hearty kick to the side sent his battered blue body rolling along the dirt. Dipper glanced up to see that the Robot Master was now on his right.

"But…but how did you do - ?"

"That's the thing about being able to _control time_, kid…"

*FLASH!*

He delivered a punch to Dipper's bread-basket, "You…"

*FLASH!*

A kick from behind sent him tripping forward, "…always seem to…"

*FLASH!*

With Dipper bent over, a well-placed elbow bought him face-first into the ground, _"…ahead of the game!_"

With his eyes burnt and his body worn, Dipper coughed and gagged on the floor. "It's like he's always a split second ahead of me! Is it magic? How is he doing this? I have to think in advance in order to stop him…"

Out of desperation, Dipper equipped the drill-bomb weapon, and held the tip of his cannon against the earth. He softly placed a set of bombs around his body as he went to stand back up. Upon one knee…

*FLASH!*

…Dipper felt something held against his right temple. The blue and white robot creepily grinned as he prepared his finishing blow. "Any last words?"

His eyes glared up and to the side, "Yeah…BOOM!"

"Huh?"

At the last possible moment, Dipper rolled out of the way, leaving the puzzled warrior in the dust. He looked down to see the series of blinking lights beneath him…

*KA-POW! KA-POW! KA-POW! KA-POW! KA-POW!*

Dipper covered his face to shield it from all of the flying debris. Once the smoke cleared, the enemy laid broken into several pieces. The various ends of his wrecked body sizzled and hissed until all power had extracted itself from each part.

The sore detective walked towards the separated white buster and grasped it with both hands. The new program displayed itself…

**"WEAPON GET – DWN-014 –TIME STOPPER"**

"Time…Stopper?" Dipper repeated, wondering about his new ability. As he pondered this, a red blur raced out of nowhere and smacked him in the face before disappearing back into the distance.

"Ow!" Dipper rubbed his sore cheek with his gloved hand. His eyes scanned the open area for any sign of the last Robot Master. The smear rushed back into the scene and delivered lightning quick blow after blow to the thirteen-year-old's body:

_"I know the truth! You're not really him!"_

*SMACK!*

_"You're just some wannabe meat bag playing pretend! To think, you'd dishonor his name by wearing his armor!"_

*BLAM!*

_"You're not the Blue Bomber! You're not the Titanium Titan!"_

Left dizzy, Dipper watched as the ruby smudge backed away, and circled around, ready to put an end to the gauntlet.

"I have to do something! I can't let him keep pounding on me like this!" He recalled his newest acquisition, "Maybe _it_ could work…"

Dipper planted both feet firmly on the ground with his latest power in his memory bank. He closed his hands together, and threw his arms out to the side.

_"You're not Megama – "_

*FLASH!*

The world had crawled to a stand-still. Dipper could see the usually-invisible particles in the atmosphere frozen in mid-air. The blocked sunlight in the sky remained in a pin-pointed position. He looked ahead to see his tormentor, the red, deviled-horned robot, stuck in a permanent running pose. Dipper walked up to the android, and waved his hand in front of his face, signaling that no response was to be given.

"So that's how that bald creep was able to be everywhere at once," Dipper concluded. "He _literally was able to stop the flow of time_!"

A sudden ticking sound echoed in Dipper's ears, going faster with every spent instant. It was almost like an alert that the moment was about to expire. He switched to the drill-bomb, and implanted a few into the robot's chest. Dipper stepped to the side, making sure not to be in the speedster's path, and whispered in his ear.

"_Maybe I'm not him…but I'll be more than happy to be his substitute_!"

*FLASH!*

The red streak flew past Dipper, only to grind to a halt upon realizing had he had missed his mark. Hearing the sudden beeping in his chest, the robot looked down; a look of astonishment plastered across his face.

"Let's see you outrun that!"

Accepting his death sentence, the Robot Master sped towards Dipper, "If I'm going down, _I'm taking you with me!_"

With a frightened yelp, Dipper formed a leaf shield and hunched into a ball, hoping that it would be enough to survive the kamikaze attack.

*KA-BLAM!*

Taking a second to compose himself, Dipper stood back up, and surveyed the damage. Save for a few dents and scrapes in his armor, he had been left completely unscathed. His attention wandered to the mangled red form a few feet away from him. The boomerang tip of his helmet rested at the tip of Dipper's boots.

Releasing the remnants of his shield, the victorious boy picked up the item; the glowing text made one last message:

**"WEAPON GET – DWN-012 – QUICK BOOMERANG"**

Dipper tossed the ruined article on the ground, still in awe of his utter survival. "I can't believe it…" he muttered to himself, "_I did it…I actually did it_! _I beat them all_!"

A round of applause could be heard in the distance. The doctor walked out of his shelter, clapping both hands loudly for his recent protégé. "Well done, my boy! Well done! You were truly magnificent!"

"Thanks…I guess…" Dipper hurried back towards the factory.

"If anything, lad, I should be thanking you! Not many people can make claim to such an accomplishment!"

"Heh…I'm just lucky they all didn't try to dog-pile me or anything like that…"

"Quite unlikely…" the doctor noted. "When fighting together in close vicinity, there would have been a greater chance of them accidentally exposing their weakness upon one another…"

"So that's why they took me on one-by-one!" Dipper overlooked his new outfit in wonder, "Thankfully, the copy-weapon-system you told me about came in handy. Are there any other secret powers that I should know about?"

"Hmm…I'm not sure about "hidden," but…" The scientist motioned towards the cloudy sky. "Your suit is solar powered, allowing you to perform of a variety of abilities your human body wouldn't be able to do…"

"Such as?"

"Well, super-strength for one…"

"Wait…WHAT?! _I have super-strength_?!"

"Yes, but…"

Without hearing the professor out, Dipper walked down the street, eager to test out the new found knowledge. He approached a parked car, and using his knees, lifted it over his head. Laughing out loud, Dipper turned the vehicle sideways and tossed it from hand to hand as if it were a lightweight ball. Placing it back gently on the ground, the excited child quizzed his friend further, "Is there anything else?"

"Umm…the boosters in your boots allow you to have faster reflexes that most; they also increase your jumping ability…"

"You don't say…"

Dipper hopped on the hood of the car, and set his sights on the roof of the nearest establishment. Within one bound, he was able to leap onto the top of the building without difficulty. Left stunned by this feat, the tiny blue speck took a second to collect himself, before rejoicing so loud, it could be heard all throughout the entire downtown area:

"WHOO-HOO-HOO!"

With a rush of energy, Dipper ran across the rooftops, doing flips and twists over the constant pitfalls. He fooled around and played almost like the looming digital apocalypse had left his mind.

"Young man?! Young man?!"

He went back the other way and stopped back at the first rooftop. Dipper peered over the edge to see the elder calling out for him.

"I know this all seems incredibly exciting, but you must take heed! _There is more to all of this besides what's on the surface_…"

"Are you kidding?" Dipper exclaimed. _"I can hoist cars over my head! I can defy gravity! Heck, if only Wendy were here, I could lift her up for once instead of…the…other…way…'round_…" His voice cracked and dried up as he came crashing back down to reality.

_"…if she didn't hate my guts."_

An awful sense of irony flowed through his small form as he came to a realization: _what good is all the power in the world if you can't even share it with your best gal pal?_

"We must make haste! There's only – " The old man stopped in mid-sentence, leaning over in discomfort. Sweat began to pour down his wrinkled brow. "Oh…"

"Whoa!" Dipper jumped down, the concrete shattering beneath his boots. He put his hand around the professor, "Doc, are you alright? I'm…I'm sorry! I didn't mean to stress you out…"

Despite his uneasiness, the man waved away Dipper's worries, "This has nothing to do with you, son. It's just that – I'm not so young anymore. And those humanoids had me on the run for some time…"

"Say no more…" Dipper carefully threw the doctor's arm over his shoulder, allowing him to support nearly all of his weight. "I'm going to take you home with me. Once youo feel up to it, we'll regroup and try to figure out what's going on! How's that sound?"

The gentle leader nodded in agreement as the duo paced themselves pass the edge of town and towards the winding forest path leading back to the Mystery Shack.

"That way, I can also check in with my family and see how they're doing…" Dipper raised his head to the sky and offered a quiet prayer, "…_hope they're all okay_…"


	11. Chapter 10

_"I'm kind of over getting told to throw my hands up in the air.  
>So there.<br>I'm kind of older than I was when I reveled without a care.  
>So there."<em>

"Team," by Lorde

**Chapter 10 – Museum**

"Now where the heck am I?"

After parting ways with her new alien friends, Wendy Corduroy spent what seemed like hours exploring the strange new world she currently found herself in. Lost deep in the mysterious underground labyrinth, her thin and tall body was still getting used to the amazing power suit that offered the miraculous powers that enabled her to survive in the harsh environment. For this, the trek left her exhausted and sore.

"This stinks!" The redhead bent over, putting her hands on her knees. "I've gone down every possible path, following those stupid bubble doors. I can't tell if I'm going around in circles because _everything seems to look the exact same!_"

As Wendy caught her breath, the soft ground suddenly gave way beneath her feet, making her exclaim out loud as she fell; her voice echoed from behind her green visor. She landed hard on her backside, only to spring upward in reflex. Strangely enough, Wendy looked up to see that the hole she had fallen through had already resealed itself.

She aimed her arm blaster at the ceiling and fired an energy blast, only to discover that it repelled off of the harden surface.

"What gives? I thought this could blow away anything?"

Wendy looked around the new corridor, finding it to be entirely closed off save for a single blue bubble door right in front of her. The girl shrugged her armored shoulders as she found herself left with no other choice.

*ZIP!*

The fifteen-year old stepped into the entrance, noticing that the edges of the gateway appeared as a sort of streaking rainbow that flew past her at the speed of light. "Trippy," Wendy tapped her metal finger against the glass background, "It looks like what happens when we use those portal-things…"

*ZIP!*

"Whoa!"

Gone was the somewhat-supernatural greenery that she had gotten mixed up in earlier. Instead, an infinite darkness spread out as far as she could see into the distance. _The borders of the area were formed by what appeared to be thin neon blue walling, providing the only source of light_. _The shining boundaries spread out into different twists and turns, resembling a form of maze_. The floor beneath Wendy's boots were _the same deep black as the sky,_ prompting her to test its sturdiness with her heel a few times before feeling confident enough to continue onwards.

However, the new environment still eked at the back of her mind, "This all seems awfully familiar to me…is this supposed to be a new game or something?" She peered over her shoulder to see that the bubble door from hence she came had vanished, leaving behind another solid blue wall. "Looks like I don't have another option…"

As soon as Wendy stepped forward, an odd sound shot up from underfoot, making the uneasy teen hop back in fright:

*WAKKA!*

"What the - ?"

Troubled by what had happened, she carefully lowered a foot into the translucent ground, as another jingle crept upwards:

*WAKKA!*

The ginger bit her cheek, and placed foot after foot, going from heel to toe for several paces…

*WAKKA-WAKKA-WAKKA-WAKKA-WAKKA!*

She stopped as instantly, a smile overcame her freckled face. Of all of her instances in dealing with the digital universe, Wendy had finally stumbled upon a gaming world that she was most definitely familiar with.

"Heck," she commented, "_What kid wouldn't know_ _this_…"

In that instant, the quiet area seemed to spring to life; a series of branching small dots rose up from the floor. Wendy reached out the glowing objects to discover that they were firmly embedded in place. As she passed over the highlighted spots, their lights gently dimmed away, almost like they were disappearing.

"That's right!" Wendy remembered, "You collect the dots to move on…" She placed a fist against her plated hip as she continued to reminiscence, "_But then again, aren't there supposed to be monsters around here somewhe-_"

Against the furthest turn, a flash of orange, red, blue, and pink ran past in a blur, making her emerald eyes light up in response. Wendy scanned the surrounding area, seeing that the wave of varying colors seemed to be everywhere at once as they rushed around every corner.

_"They're – They're surrounding me!" _

With her green cannon raised, ready to strike, Wendy spun around in circles, her nerves at a high as she could do nothing but wait for the mysterious beings to try to pin her in. A sense of premonition rose up in the back of her mind, making her turn around with weapon aimed downward.

An adorable orange ghost bobbled up and down in midair as it glanced up at Wendy with pleading eyes. She pulled her gun-arm back in surprise of the cute creature. The cashier girl bent down, and offered an open palm, "Why, hello there! Why ya running around, scaring the crap out of me for?"

Wendy went to gently pet the ghost, only to pull her hand back in pain. "YEOWCH!" Her covered glove was smoldering and smoking! "That really hurt! I felt that even under the armor; it's like I stuck my hand in battery acid!"

Shaken by her reaction, the ghost started to change before her eyes. It stretched itself outwards, revealing a widened mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. Gangly arms formed from its midsection. It wiggled its lengthy fingers in her direction.

"Okay; enough of this…" Wendy lowered her blaster, concentrated her energy, and let a shot out at the new menace. The stream went through the ghost's filmy body, only to crash into the ground behind it. The orange blur began to approach on her, forcing her to backpedal in the opposite direction.

"Easy, fella…" Wendy held up her hands, trying to calm the monster's nerves. Low growls from behind made her twirl around to see another ghost edging its way towards her. Blue in color, the already-transformed demon closed in as Wendy went to take the closest detour. As she set foot on the new path, a third shape rushed in to block her way. A red ghost stuck out its elastic-like tongue in Wendy's way, almost like it was a snake invading her course. With creepily long fingernails, the beast lounged at the girl, forcing her to dodge backwards at the last second.

Wendy gulped as she was pinned in between the three specters. "I can't blast 'em, and they're everywhere…" They pressed on tighter, "_The only way out of this is to out-think them!_"

She waited with severe anxiousness for one of the fiends to strike; it would be her only chance to escape. The orange ghost dove towards Wendy in an attempt to bite her…

"Oh, come on! Umm…ball form go! I guess…"

Once again, her limber body was scaled down to the size of a basketball due in part to her alien-issued armor. In her spherical form, Wendy sped beneath the ghastly ghoul, only to take off sprinting as soon as she was cleared of any danger. She let out a sigh of relief, "I _still_ can't believe that worked…"

Another series of scowls made Wendy turn around. Only the orange ghost pursued her, as the other two spread out in different directions.

_"They're trying to cut me off. I have to find a way out of this maze!"_

Wendy ran further away from the spiritual threats, being sure to take any possible turn in order to best avoid the predators. She tried her best to maintain absolute silence, but her own footfalls betrayed her, as the *WAKKA-WAKKA-WAKKA* sound trailed every movement, alerting her enemies to her presence.

She rotated around as the highlighted flashes seemed to appear around every other curve. No matter which way she went, Wendy could feel a creeping form of claustrophobia clouding over her.

"It's no use running away like this. _It's like they're everywhere_!" She stopped for a moment, trying to remember how the actual game went. "_How_ _did that little yellow guy get out of this mess_?" Her thoughts wandered as she stared at the small golden dots before her feet. All of a sudden, Wendy raised her head and snapped her fingers in rejoice, "That's it! The big dots! The ones in the corners of the maze! They'll help stop the ghosts!"

Unaware of her exact position in the maze, Wendy figured that it would be easiest to retrace her steps by heading towards back to the wall. The distant roars served as a constant reminder that her doom could be lurking around every blind side.

Upon reaching the wall, Wendy heard a group of shrill screams come from behind her. Her mouth dropped open as she saw an entire train of ghosts, pink, orange, blue, and red, rushing towards her. She turned tail and bolted down the corridor. Her emerald eyes lit up as she spotted a floating white sphere in the leftmost spot.

"There is it!"

Wendy seized the pellet and held it close to her chest. The orb quickly dissolved away in her hands. A bright glow started to overcome her as she felt multiple taps on her backside. She looked to see that the ghosts had bumped straight into her as it appeared they attempted to slide to a stop. However, their appearance had changed. All four had turned to a timid blue as a sickly expression spread across their faces. They started to slink away in reverse in a cowardly fashion.

"Wait a sec," Wendy realized, "I was able to feel when they crashed into me…" Her arm cannon started to buzz as a devilish grin started to form on her dimpled face.

_"…that means they're solid now!"_

*BLAM!*

The orange ghost exploded into a fiery blast, leaving behind a hovering pair of eyes. They went past the remaining three phantoms and into the further distance. Wendy readied another shot as she gave chase behind her tormentors.

"What's wrong, guys?" she exclaimed mockingly, missing her next shot as a ghost narrowly rounded around a turn at the last second. "It's not too fun anymore, is it?"

As Wendy followed suit, the ghouls started to flash on and off repeatedly. "Uh oh! I remember this part!"

Within seconds, they returned back their original, acerbic forms. They stopped in their tracks and went back around to hunt the red and orange armored redhead. She jumped behind a crook and threw her weight against it. The ghosts rushed past, left totally unaware of her presence.

"Phew! That was close!" Wendy turned her head the other way, "I need to find another one of those things if I'm going to stand a chance!"

Wendy darted towards the next corner – the upper-left end – and spotted the second blazing ball. Just before she reached her goal, the pink ghost glided out from the other side and screamed aloud. It reached out for the ginger with its protracted limbs. Out of impulse, Wendy spin-jumped over the spirit; oddly enough_, her body sparked and flickered until she landed safely on her feet_.

"What was that about?" Wendy asked as snatched the next pellet. Again, she was bathed in a glorious light as the ghost behind her turned a firm white and blue.

"Gotcha!"

*BLAM!*

Seconds later, all that remained were a pair of red eyes that fled into the darkness. Out of the corner of her eye, Wendy saw the last two ghosts shuffling towards the back end. With green cannon at the ready, she went after the threats in haste, only to find them flaring again.

"But…" Wendy swung around to the nearest walkway as they returned to normal. _"…I could have sworn that it lasted longer last time…_" She raised her head to see something radiating over the next horizon. "Guess there's only one thing to do now…"

Inching her way against the wall, Wendy stuck her neck out and checked both sides of the intersection before stepping into the path. "It looks clear enough…" She peeked further to see another glowing pellet on her right. Heading towards it, Wendy was cut off by the red ghost as it grit its pointy teeth at her.

"No prob! I can just jump over this guy, too, and I'll be –"

To her amazement, the enemy leapt in the air, snapping its jaws with each bound. "Wow…I guess they can learn new tricks!" Wendy's green eyes followed its every moment, trying to study a possible pattern. "Just gotta wait for it…"

She waited for the ghost to take to the air once more. While it was in mid-jump, Wendy ducked and tore past it, taking hold of the third power pellet. Without looking, she pointed her blaster behind her and fired at her stunned nemesis, reducing it to nothing but its naked eyes.

The eyeballs disappeared down the hall as Wendy noticed that the miraculous shine vanished from her armor for a third time. "That was even shorter…" The eerie silence sent shivers down her spine. "So, one more ghost, one more dot to go…" She continued down the path, the only instance of noise was the hushed *WAKKA-WAKKA-WAKKA* as she tip-toed across the aisle.

After a few of turns around the bend, Wendy located the last power-up in the bottom-right corner of the area. Steadily, she made her way towards the final sphere, making sure to check out every possible passageway in preparation of the remaining ghost.

With no sight of the threat, Wendy patted down the foyer and reached her goal. Just before her fingertips touched the pellet, a surge of pain spread across her back, making her shriek in agony. The blue ghost had hopped onto her rear-side, wrapped its grossly-long arms around her, and sunk its teeth into her right shoulder blade.

Wendy sunk to her knees as she struggled to get the ghost off her back. No matter how much she squirmed, the deadly predator would not budge a single inch. With her left arm free, she reached up towards the power pellet as the demon tightened its grip. The teen closed her eyes and strained, trying to make contact with the one thing that would even the odds in her favor.

"Just…a…little…more…"

A split second later, all of the pressure felt as it had been removed. Wendy twisted her head to see that the spineless apparition had flown from her radiating body towards the nearest exit.

"Oh, no you don't!"

*BLAM!*

A well-placed missile robbed the ghost of its body. As its eyes wobbled up and down, Wendy hurried back to a standing position as they scuttled down the closest corridor. Annoyed by the whole situation, she tailed the speeding peepers moving closer towards the center of the maze.

"Come back here!" Wendy huffed in exhaustion. "I'm not finished with you just yet!"

Wendy stopped as she watched the eyeballs disappear into a small space in the middle of the region. She hesitated for a moment, unable to see into the short gap in front of her face. As she went to take a step inside, her foot went through the floor. Losing her balance, Wendy went to grab onto the neon blue wall for support only to have her fingers slip off as she fell forward.

"AHH!"

The young woman was surrounded by a variety of flourishing colors, reminding her of the strange entryway to the maze. _"Am I warping again?!"_

*KLUNK!*

Wendy landed hard on the ground. With a wary groan, she lifted her helmet-donning head to see that she was in what appeared to be a new world. The clean-cut appearance and brightness of the maze had been replaced by a gritty overworld filled with _cracked, filthy concrete and aging green pipes hanging overhead._ The road in front of her seemed to be made up of what appeared to be a sort of _blue bendable floor, similar in nature to that of a swaying bridge_.

"It's…like some old sewer…I think."

She went onwards; the sensation of having the flooring sink slightly beneath her feet left Wendy unnerved. The auburn-haired girl approached a gap leading down to the next level. She took a deep breath and jumped down to the new area. Upon landing, Wendy could sense brushing around her ankles. Pointing her blaster downwards, she stepped back in shock upon discovering what lied beneath her.

"No way…"

_A snapping turtle_ crawled slowly across the ground. The unique detailing of the creature reminded Wendy of the ones that held her hostage in the gigantic skyward castle during her first encounter with the digital universe.

"But this can't be right…" She tipped the defenseless reptile over onto its back with the toe of her boot. "Those other guys were way bigger than – OWW!"

Wendy yelped as something sharp pinched her left Achilles' heel. She turned around to see that some sort of _mutant crab_ had seized her foot with its mighty pincher. Similar in nature of that of the turtle, the _crustacean looked almost cartoon-like_ as it released her and waddled away on its tiny legs.

"That hurt, you little - !"

*BLAM!*

Her energy shot struck the crab, making it bounce in the air. It landed straight-up, and went back to attacking her. Wendy noticed that its demeanor had changed; the red crab was now a bright bluish-purple with narrowed eyes and slanted brow. It moved faster towards her with both claws snapping repeatedly.

"Maybe…" Wendy confessed as she started to back off from the pest, "Just maybe, the whole "shoot first and ask questions later" thing isn't the best way to go about these things…" In her hurry, she accidentally knocked the flipped-over turtle from the platform and into the ground. Just before it landed, the body melted away in a series of pixels.

"So that's the deal…" The teenage warrior looked back at the upcoming creature, "It's not enough to hit them as hard as I can; _I have to make them fall off_!"

She turned around to see that there was another gap leading to a lower floor. With a game plan in mind, Wendy skipped down, and carefully watched the ceiling as it vaguely dipped with the little weight on top.

"C'mon, fella," the ginger aimed with her blaster, knowing she needed a near-perfect shot for her idea to work, "Just a few steps closer…"

As soon as Wendy saw part of the crab hanging off of the ledge, as it searched for its quarry, she launched a ray at the ceiling. The vibration knocked the creature off of the ridge, sending it crashing towards the earth.

"Here's my chance!"

Wendy took to the air and delivered a kick to the stunned critter, launching it into the distance. It hit the brick wall, splattering into a mess of multi-colored blocks.

_"Heh, that was actually kinda fun!"_

Her victory was short-lived as a massive buzzing sound quickly filled the air. Wendy whirled around at the ready, knowing that the next threat could be looming around the next corner.

Her green eyes opened completely in disbelief as she spotted the source of the noise. A literal cloud of skipping red and pink horseflies had flown down into the platform she was standing on. Moving as one functioning unit, the horde soared after her. Dozens of demonic smiles flashed themselves as they landed inches away from Wendy.

"Nuts to this! I'm outta here!"

Wendy took off towards the next platform, soaring over the short gap in between. In mid-air, Wendy spotted an oddity waiting for her on the opposite side. In the middle of the floor, _a pointed block of ice with a smudged frown for a face moved back and forth of its own accord_.

"How the – "

The ice creature stopped at the center of the platform and started to flash. Instantly, it liquefied away, spreading itself over the entire walkway. It froze straight across the ground, leaving a perfectly laid layer of solid ice.

"Aw, nuts…"

As soon as Wendy landed, her feet slipped out from behind her. Her iron body slid uncontrollably across the floor until it came to a complete stop. She lowered her head down in defeat, "Ugh…well, that sucked…"

*BBBBBBBUUUUUUUUUUUUUUZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!*

She opened her eyes to see that the swarm of bugs had descended upon her. Wendy tried her best to cover herself, but even through the armor, she could feel all of the thousands of tiny feet prickling at her metallic flesh.

"Get off! Get off! Get off!" she yelled as she flipped over, trying her best to regain her balance. Wendy rolled backwards, only to fall hurtling to the ground.

*CRUNCH!*

Unlike the other floors, this bottom layer was entirely made of rock-solid concrete. Wendy let out a huge groan as she struggled to get back up. The nasty flock followed her the entire way, forcing her to rock from side to side in an effort to break away from the bugs. She looked around to see that several more of the turtles and crabs crowded around her fallen body.

"I'm surrounded!" Wendy trashed around to no prevail. The flies started to cover her visor, blocking her vision completely. In the reserve, Wendy could make out something hanging against the wall. Hovering between the upper gaps, a navy block shone in illuminated white text "POW!"

With the limited sight given, the redhead fought against the intense pressure on her body to raise her arm-gun to the sky. She charged a blast and released it as total darkness clouded her; Wendy prayed that she hit her target.

*KA-POW!*

The whole earth seemed to quake. Wendy seethed as the stir reached all of the way to the center of her brain, leaving her in anguish for a few instances. However, she noticed that the insects plaguing her were starting to recede.

"Whatever that thing is, it's working!" She took aim once more, "Trust me, guys! This hurts me just as much as it does you!"

*BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!*

*KA-POW! KA-POW! KA-POW!*

The horrid vibrations made Wendy shut her eyes and clench her teeth tightly. Her eardrums felt as if they were going to pop at any second. When the tremors stopped, she reopened her eyes, finding that the world had fallen deathly still. Yet again, Wendy was all alone.

With her armored body freed from any restrictions, Wendy sat up and seen piles of pixelated dust falling carelessly to the earth. She looked back to where the POW block hung in the sky, seeing that it had vanished along with the mischievous critters. In its stead, a new message flashed repeatedly:

"PHASE COMPLETE!"

Wendy repeated the phrase to herself, "What does that mean?"

A flash made her hold a hand above her eyes. The brightness hurt Wendy's emerald eyes in spite of the visor's protection. As she became used to the glare, she stepped forward to see that one of the rickety green pipes at the end of the chamber was the source of the shine. Its opening shimmered in the same way the inter-dimensional portal had.

"Is that the way out?" she wondered, pausing for a moment in worry of what her next destination would be. She looked around, remembering that there wasn't another exit openly available.

Wendy sighed, "Guess I really don't have a choice…"

The brave girl stepped into the new gateway and felt her essence rush forth at the speed of light. As her sight returned, Wendy found herself falling through the air.

"Oh! Not again!" she shrieked, flailing her arms wildly through the air.

At the last second, Wendy shifted her weight, landing roughly on one knee. "Phew! At least I didn't end up sprawled out over the ground!" After letting the sting pass, she stood up and searched around the new surroundings. She had landed in the middle of what appeared to be _an abandoned mine_. Numerous caves could be seen in the background, leading to only heaven knew where. Wendy took note of the detailing of the grotto's walls and stalagmites, observing that the set looked _more realistic than any of the other worlds than she encountered._ A single mine cart track ran through the complex, providing some guidance on which way to go next. Wendy followed along, rounding around the crook, only to have her breath literally taken away by the sight before her.

*GASP!*

The high-schooler found herself surrounded by what appeared to be dinosaurs – _actual real-sized dinosaurs_! The initial shock wore off when she realized that the vicious thunder lizards were frozen in place. Every one of the ancient creatures was sealed away in some sort of solid golden goop. She ran a quick finger through the slime, bringing some to her face for a better look.

"It looks familiar," she recalled. "It reminds me of the thick sap in the trees out in the forest…"

She walked past the Jurassic wonders in suspended animation, marveling at being able to see the lost wonders of the world first-hand. Going by a trapped stegosaurus and brachiosaurus, Wendy felt a weird sense of guilt, considering that she could easily remember seeing their matching skeletons on display at the local museum as a little kid.

As Wendy went further into the displays of motionless death, she noticed that the goo appeared to be melting. An unnerving thought entered her mind: _"what if those things are still alive under all of that stuff?"_

Her question was soon answered as she came near an ensnared velociraptor. Her brow raised as the dinosaur's jagged claw wiggled freely from outside the amber. Wendy hurried from the scene, unsure if her power suit would be able to withstand the brutality of a merciless dinosaur attack.

Another peculiar sight quickly caught Wendy's attention. She spotted a group of misshaped footprints in the soft dirt before her. After studying the scene for a moment, she realized that _it wasn't a single pair of impressions rather than belonging to a whole group of people_.

"That's so strange," Wendy thought to herself, "How would anyone else be able to get down here? More so, who in their right minds see all of this, and not say a single world to anybo –"

Wendy stopped in mid-sentence as the answer flashed before her eyes. She already knew the answer: "_Wait…it was the guys! They were here_!" The clerk evoked previously hearing the excited chatter of her two twin friends only a day or so before, making out small mentions of deadly dinosaurs and missing pigs.

She stood back up, "So, wait; this _isn't_ a game world. _I'm back in reality!_ Why didn't I remember this before?" The imagery in the redhead's mind changed to the next scene as in his excitement, Dipper looked back towards her, ready to tell her all about his adventures, only to be greeted with an angry glare and crossed arms. Seeing his crush's expression, the boy simply lowered his head, let out a disappointed huff, and pushed open the swinging door, vanishing into the living room of the Mystery Shack.

The realization bought Wendy further into the dumps. "_That's right…I was too busy being mad at him to listen…_" Lost in her own thoughts and regrets, she blindly walked into what appeared to be a hardened gray wall. She stumbled back, only to be shocked as two beady white eyes stared down at her. A pair of gargantuan wings opened and spread across in a magnificent fashion. A narrow, pointy head filled with knife-like pointed teeth threw itself backwards as it released a horrifying roar that made small pebbles fall from the ceiling.

Wendy found herself face-to-face with _a living, breathing pterodactyl_. The beast stood on its hind legs, and peered downward at the minuscule lumberjack princess.

"And my guess is that you're not the friendly type." Wendy raised her green arm cannon in self-defense, unaware if it would even be able to pierce though the dinosaur's thick hide. "How could things get any worse?"

From out of nowhere, a wave of rainbow-colored pixels soared into the scene. In the confusion, the windfall started to circle around the animal, making it bellow aloud as its shape started to change into a puff of lavender smoke before Wendy's eyes.

"What's happening? What's that stuff doing to it?"

As the fog cleared, a clawed foot shot out of the haze. _A pair of sickly, yellow eyes stood out from the mist. The oval black pupils trailed Wendy's every movement. The pale, gray flesh was replaced with a scaly purple overcoat. Its tiny arms stretched along, revealing a three-fingered hand on each with lethal talons. The stubby tail on its backside had been transformed into one of a whip-like stature, complete with a sharp V-shaped tip at the end_.

The now-purple pterodactyl advanced on the stunned youngster; its every moment shook the earth further. Wendy couldn't look away from the behemoth nor did she dare to even as much as blink. Deep within her soul, something felt different with this new enemy. Despite never seeing the monster before, _there was a lingering sense of familiarity that she just couldn't shake._

The behemoth pulled its head back again and let out a tremendous howl, causing more of the cavern's roof to fall in. Wendy shook away her paralysis, dodging the incoming stalactites and boulders as they fell towards her position.

"I gotta stop this thing now, before it brings the house down on me!"

Wendy fired a few charged blasts into the creature's chest, only to have it shrug the attack like it was nothing.

"What?! It didn't even make a dent in it!"

The purple villain opened its mouth and to Wendy's surprise, returned fire. Fireballs came rushing out of the elongated beak, prompting her to jump away at the last second. "Phew, that was too close!" Wendy tried to wipe the sweat from her brow, only to laugh sheepishly at the fact that she couldn't with her helmet on.

Instead, the flaming projectiles struck the solid towers of sap behind her, causing them to dissolve even further. Wendy changed her focus to the velociraptor breaking through its prehistoric prison.

"Oh, come on!" she complained, being faced with yet another danger. The relic stepped through the ooze, testing its once-confined limbs. It slowly lowered its jaw, as it set its sights on the armored ginger in front of it. Wendy readied another energy beam, "I hope this stuff works on real things, too!"

Before Wendy could take her shot, something else rose up from the gap. At first, it started as mere floating particles, until another rush of the mysterious pixel wave appeared and came into contact with them. The samples multiplied and grew into individual round shapes. Each became _a lime-green dome structure with see-through insides, made of three berry-shaped centers. At the bottom, every creature had two set of mandibles, the center ones being half the size of those in the back ends. _

To her, the new beings reminded Wendy of _oversized, gliding jellyfish_.

Unsure what to think, she watched as the organisms quickly surrounded the velociraptor, revolving and rotating around its thinning body, making it swipe and snarl at them. All at once, they pounced on the defenseless carnivore, making it cry out in distress. No matter how hard it fought, it simply couldn't escape the grip of the dozens of teeth held on tightly to its flesh.

"Wow…glad that's not me…" Wendy could only watch, afraid of interfering with the sequence at hand, in worry that the small, vicious jellyfish would target her next.

*CRASH!*

"What –"

She turned around to see that the purple pterodactyl had launched itself through the roof of the cavern, leaving behind a large hole in the ceiling. The room began to cave in, pouring large amounts of dirt, gravel, rock, and sticky gap into the scene. Wendy hopped back, worried that she would become entrapped in the same goop that held the dinosaurs for millions of years. As a brown dust wave clouded her vision, she held up her arms to protect herself. Luckily, her visor prevented the potentially poisonous fumes from entering her lungs.

When the powder settled, Wendy waved away the access, only to discover that a thick layer of amber had dripped down from the ceiling, sealing off any further passage into the tunnel before her. The teen gulped as she slowly spun around, "That means…_I'm stuck in here with those things…"_

The room had become deathly silent. The velociraptor no longer yowled in pain. Wendy took a few steps forward, only to find that the beast had turned a lifeless brownish grey, stopping any form of movement. She poked a finger at the sight, only to let out a hushed shriek as the dinosaur turned to dust in her hands, swiftly collapsing into the ground.

Alerted by her noise, the ferocious alien jellyfish returned to the scene, spinning around the overanxious girl. Wendy tried to keep up with their flow, never once letting them go out of sight in fear of what would happen next.

She used her free hand to better aim her arm cannon, knowing that fate might not allow her a second chance.

*BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!*

A series of missiles sailed through the air, landing directly on the flying invertebrates. However, the powerful weapon had no effect on them!"

"I can't believe it!"

Before she had a chance to retreat,, the life-forms clouded over Wendy, angered by her attempt at self-defense. While the space armor kept her nimble body safe for mortal wounds, Wendy could feel their teeth clamping down tightly on the suit. A red warning light popped up on her visor screen:

"**DANGER – MASSIVE ENERGY LOST DETECTED! EXPLOSION UPON REACHING 0%!**"

Wendy twisted and turned, trying to her best to thrash her way free. However, the creatures hung on with every single movement. She morphed back into her mobile-ball shape, thinking that a small size might make it harder to stay latched on to. Nevertheless, the jellyfish horde maintained their grip, bringing Wendy's pace to that of a crawl. She could feel herself growing weaker; the power suit felt heavier with every passing second. The air became thinner from within, making Wendy gag in a series of coughing jags.

Miraculously, a new message flashed across her LED screen:

"**BOMB SYSTEM RECOMMENDED. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ENABLE NOW?**"

"Yes!" she screamed from within the armor. "If it'll help get these things off, then do it!"

From outside her rotating form, a small latch opened, dropping tiny red and white tablets all over the ground. They started to flicker repeatedly until releasing a number of controlled explosions.

*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

The force of the impact plied the aliens from her metal body, sending them back into the atmosphere with a sense of regrouping.

Wendy came out of her ball form, and backed away from the threat. While she had saved herself from their attack, she was no closer to finding a way to defeat them.

"I tried blasting them! I tried blowing them up! Nothing seems to do the trick! I wish…I wish I just could make them _freeze_ so I can think of something else!"

As if it could read her thoughts, Wendy's green blaster released a new type of beam. The icy-blue wave flew through the air and hit the wicked horde. The jellyfish fell to the earth, each frozen solid within a block of ice.

Dumbfounded, Wendy rose to her feet, shifting her sights between her arm cannon and the unmoving enemies. It seemed like with every new threat, her armor came up with an innovative way to aid in her escape from the underground. Heading towards the blocks of ice, Wendy forced the missile launcher on, and pointed down at the immobilized foes.

"I really hope this works…"

*BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!*

A few moments later, the violent monsters were blown apart into a million small ice cubes!

She lowered her arm-gun in victory, an exhausted smile formed on her moisten face beneath the helmet, "So, "_freeze, and then blast_!" That's the ticket…"

With all immediate threats taken care of, Wendy looked back towards the site of the sticky cave-in. She circled between her three various types of ammo, hoping that one would allow her to break through the already-hardened sap. Unfortunately, all failed to help her through the golden mess.

"Hmm…" Wendy grumbled, "Guess I gotta double-back and try to find another way…" Walking back towards the entrance of the mine, the fifteen-year-old started to hear a form of rustling sound. She followed the noise back to the open sap-cell where the dinosaurs and jellyfish once laid. Narrowing her eyes, Wendy could make out a small, green object waddling back and forth from within the substance.

She pulled it out from the gunk, setting it on the rocky floor. Oozy and covered in what seemed to be veins, the oval shape reminded Wendy of some form of _egg_. Her curiosity getting the best of her, Wendy took a knee and watched the shape vibrate.

"I wonder what's inside…"

The parts of the circle spread, revealing a constricted opening. A moment later, _a baby floating jellyfish monster_ came rushing out, squealing and screeching excitedly. Wendy immediately raised her new ice beam to it, "_Not another one of those things!"_ Unlike the other aliens, the tiny specimen happily glided and looped around, uttering the same type of "cooing" sound that a newborn infant would.

Perhaps the strangest thing about the creature was that it had a different color palette than that of the adult versions. In lieu of the green and red coloring, this smaller version was _navy blue and orange on the outside shell with a light brown inside_.

Wendy could only watch the extraterrestrial play joyfully as she realized why it stood out to her: "_Those are his colors…"_

The baby came closer to Wendy, prompting her to take aim once again. It circled around her long cannon, across her tiled chest and between her legs, almost like it wanted her to play with it. Going against her better judgment, the redhead lowered her blaster.

"I…" she concluded. "_I don't think it's like the other ones…_" A disturbing thought crossed her mind, as the young lumberjack was reminded of her past experiences finding newborn animals out in the Gravity Falls Woods.

_"What if it imprinted on me?"_

She nodded as it drifted aimlessly by her left shoulder blade, "All right, fella. I think you're good to go. But if you try any funny business, I won't think twice about blowing you to smithereens! Got it?"

It looped around her upper body, bustling all the way as if to agree with her terms.

"Good…" Wendy turned back towards the blockage, "If only we could get rid of that stuff, then we'd be on own way…"

The jellyfish squirmed in mid-air, wiggling its several teeth as it raced over to the sap barrier. It set itself down on the slime, digging both mandibles into the clutter.

"What's it doing?"

Little by little, the pile of sap began to shrink.

"It's…devouring that stuff!" Wendy folded her arms as she waited for her new friend to finish its first meal. "Just my luck, I find the one vegetarian of the whole species!"

Over the course of two minutes, she watched in awe as the creature consumed what appeared to be _hundreds_ of pounds of primordial amber. Upon finishing, it came back towards Wendy, hovering before her in an effort to gain her approval.

She stepped forward and affectionately rubbed its translucent head, "Good boy! G-ooooo-d boy! At least I don't have to worry about you biting me from behind now!" With the jellyfish in hand, Wendy stepped over the last of the mound, setting her sights on the new-found passageway out of the mine.

"I think…I'll keep you around for a while…"


	12. Chapter 11

_"She's got lions in her heart; a fire in her soul.  
>He's a got a beast in his belly that's so hard to control.<br>'Cause they've taken too much hits, taking blow by blow.  
>Now, light a match, stand back, watch them explode."<em>

"Superheroes," by The Script

**Chapter 11 – No More Heroes**

Dipper threw open the door leading to the family entrance of the Mystery Shack, "Well, here we are: home sweet home!"

He helped the kind-hearted doctor inside of the doorway. The elder looked around the rustic cabin, and let out a quiet sigh, "Yes…it's quite…_quaint_."

The boy grew embarrassed as he limped with his guest into the living room, "I'm sorry. I know it's nothing fancy. Heck, it's barely considered legal…"

The doctor held up his hand, "No, no, my boy. It actually reminds of my lab. It's roughly the same size as this place. Kind of cozy in nature…"

The azure armored lad gently set the worn-out professor into his great-uncle's favorite recliner. As the old man started to relax in the cushioned seat, Dipper left his side and headed towards the Gift Shop.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," Dipper explained as he held the swinging door open, "I'm going to check a few things out – find out what happened to my family…"

The doctor nodded in understanding as the thirteen-year-old stepped into the shop. A wave of relief overcame him as he immediately spotted his twin sister, their loyal handyman friend, and his "grunkle" amongst the countless articles of souvenirs and keepsakes.

"Guys!" he exclaimed. "Thank heavens you're all okay!" He pointed over his shoulder, "Listen, we got to get outta here! The world's gone crazy, and –"

Dipper stopped in the middle of his sentence as he noticed something was terribly wrong with the scene before his eyes. Despite his frantic nature, all three of his relatives simply remained entirely motionless. Their eyes simply stared out into the distance, never focused on the nerve-wrecked hero in front of them nor taking the time to blink periodically.

Troubled by the strange atmosphere all around him, Dipper took a precautious step towards his sibling standing alongside a row of Mr. Mystery bobbleheads. "Hey there, Mabel…" he called out, waving his blue-gloved hand lightly in front of her face in an effort to gain her attention, "Is everything ok?"

A voice played through her forever-grinning metal-smile, _"Well, hello there, handsome! My name's Mabel, but you can call me "all yours!""_

Dipper's mouth dropped at the suggestive response as a feeling of nausea flowed through his stomach. "Mabel…" he laughed off the extreme awkwardness, "What are you – what are you doing?"

Once again, the pixie repeated her overly uncomfortable message, as if it was on an automatic transmitter, _"Well, hello there, handsome! My name's Mabel, but you can call me "all yours!""_

Fed up, Dipper reached out for her shoulder, "Stop it, Mabel! You don't know what you're saying…"

To his horror, his metal hand went right through her body! Instead of feeling flesh, bone, and a fluffy pink sweater, Dipper's fingers fell through was appeared to be a complicated structure of multi-colored pixels, smearing the vibrant display as they went. A loud static noise filled the air, prompting Dipper to cover his ears. A split second later, the dead silence returned as the paralyzed image went back to normal.

"What the heck - ?"

Hoping to gain a better perspective on Mabel's condition, he walked to his twin's side, only to gasp aloud in dismay; _her profile had disappeared entirely!_ It was like she had vanished from the face of the earth!

Dipper jumped back around to the other side of the display case. Mabel suddenly came back into sight as he could make out her brown haired and sweater covered backside. Confused by this, the inquisitive boy hopped back and forth, foot to foot, as he watched his sister fade back and forth out of reality.

The young detective swung back around to Mabel's front as he tried to figure out what was happening. Her troubling message repeated a third time, mocking him, _"Well, hello there, handsome! My name's Mabel, but you can call me "all yours!""_

He rubbed his fingers against his chin, "It's so weird. _It's like she's missing her third-dimension…_" Dipper further studied Mabel's condition. "Why can I only see her in 2D? It almost makes me think of the way a video game character is displayed – "

The teen stopped in mid-sentence as he came to a realization. "_Like a video game character…"_ He rushed towards Soos, who was placed leaning up against an entire circular rack of Mystery Shack shirts, including the same muddy green question marked one he regular sported. His mouth was left open in a friendly smile, showing off his parted, chipped front teeth. His muscular arm was forever raised in a gentle wave.

As Dipper looked over the man-child, he noted that his rather-plump friend was near invisible from the sides as well. In curiosity, he poked the giant's stomach with a single finger, only to watch the spot swirl in a blur of pixels. A brief line stemmed from his gaping mouth, _"I am Soos…"_

"What?" Dipper asked aloud. "Is that the only thing you can say?"

Again, the frozen adult muttered his simple message, _"I am Soos…"_

Left disappointed, Dipper turned around to see his Grunkle Stan slanting over the counter of the Gift Shop's register. The old coot's eyes were narrowed as he extended an arm out pass the wooden paneling, his oversized jaw stretched open as if he was in the middle of a shouting match.

_"Buy something or get out!" _

The child shook his head, "Why am I not surprised?" In spite of the irony presented before him, Dipper started to panic about the semi-lifeless states that his loved ones had partaken.

"What could have done this to them?" he asked aloud. "Is this why there wasn't anyone left in town? Were they all transformed like this?" As Dipper pondered the situation further, he was reminded of the threat Rumble McSkirmish made when he abducted Wendy from the Gravity Falls Arcade:

_"We will take great pleasure in draining her life essence and making her part of our world, forever!"_

"Is that what happened?" Dipper thought of all the monsters and villains he encountered since his capture and separation from his crush, "Gravity Falls is running amok with these things from the Arcade and yet, no other "real" person seems to be truly alive." He turned back towards his twin with a sympathetic look in his brown eyes, _"It's like everyone traded places in reality with each other…"_

A shudder traveled down Dipper's spine as his thoughts went back to his favorite ginger, imaging her terrible fate if the renegade world warrior had reached her before he had.

Suddenly, the swinging door in front of him shot open! Dipper raised his arm cannon in defense, ready to blast the ever-looming threat barging in from the other side. The doctor called out, shuffling slowly towards his newest protégé, "Is everything alright, son? I heard shouting from the next room…?"

Relieved, Dipper lowered his gun. "No, it's not…" He highlighted the unusual sights before him with his left arm, "I found my family, but something's wrong. They're alive, but not really alive, if that makes any sense…"

"Hmm…" The professor headed towards Soos. He checked for a pulse, noting the strange reaction when he made contact with the handyman's body. "Interesting…" He took a few steps back towards Dipper. "I can see what you mean. Their vitals are still relatively healthy, and yet…" The elder prodded at Soos's green shirt until the static noise returned, "…they seem to be in some sort of extraordinary digital fluctuation."

"If anything," Dipper added, "It's like they're become _NPCs_!"

"Beg pardon?"

"Oh," he rubbed the back of his shiny blue helmet shamefully, "_NPC stands for Non-Playable Character_. In a video game, they are the background characters that simply sit them and repeat the same mindless babble over and over again…"

It was then that Dipper realized that his new ally didn't have the whole story behind the madness occurring in the small mountain town.

"On second thought, Doc." Dipper placed a hand on the man's lab-coat covered shoulder, "I think it's time I fill you on what exactly happening out there…"

* * *

><p>"So, I see…"<p>

The doctor took another sip of tea as Dipper concluded his story, "Yeah, so after that huge purple pterodactyl dropped me, I crash landed against the tree tops, and when I awoke, that's when I bumped into you…"

He placed his glass against a TV-tray to the side of Stan's recliner, "You say that all of these things are fictional characters from everyday electronic-based entertainment devices?"

Dipper nodded in response, "Yes, sir."

"Truly fascinating…" The scientist heaved himself back into Stan's chair, "And this wasn't the first time something like this has happened? You and your sister were transported to a game world, as well as this "Rumble" character had previously kidnapped your girlfriend. Am I correct?"

"She's not really my girlfriend," Dipper corrected with an uneasy chuckle attached at the end, "But yeah, you get the idea. However, it has never gotten this bad before. After Wendy and I returned home from the last time, my sister destroyed Rumble's "_Fight Fighters_" arcade machine, preventing him from breaking through to reality ever again!"

"Still…" The doctor massaged his beard as he continued to theorize, "The obvious answer is right in front of us. The first time you encountered these creatures was in the local arcade. You were also attacked several times in the same place. Therefore, if I was to take an educated guess, I would say that there is where all of these invaders are coming from."

"Speaking of," Dipper asked, "How exactly did you get here, Doc?"

He shrugged his broad shoulders, "I'm not exactly sure. One minute, I was working on a new adaptor for my boy, and the next, a bright white light flashed in front of my eyes. I wasn't sure if it was a spark or explosion or so-what. When I came to, I found myself in those woods just outside of town. It was only a few moments later that I ran into the Second Numbers."

The doctor stopped for a second, "It's funny; now that I think about it, I would say it was almost like they knew I was coming. At first, I thought it was one of _his_ nefarious plots, but after everything I have seen so far, this is most definitely far beyond his capabilities."

Dipper pulled up one of the folding chairs from Stan's poker table and removed his helmet to make himself more comfy. Beads of sweat raced down his face as he set his headgear on the shag carpet. "So, none of this stuff seems strange to you? Video game characters coming to life?" The boy rarely encountered an adult that accepted the bizarre hidden world within Gravity Falls.

"Not at all." The elder took another sip of his hot beverage. "You'd be surprised by all of the oddities I have encountered back home."

"Even…" Dipper hesitated, feeling somewhat guilty by asking the question, "Even if _you're_ one of them…?"

The man lowered his cup, "I believe in what is called a multiverse theory, Dipper. One person's imagination can easily be another's reality. The possibilities are infinite! Why, I could be a fictional person in this world, and just as easily, you could be a…_a television character_ in mine!"

While Dipper was glad he didn't hurt his comrade's feelings, a shiver raced down his back at the thought of _millions of people watching his embarrassing and humiliating ventures on a weekly basis_.

"You talk a lot about your son…" He broke eye-contact, "If you don't mind me asking, who is he?"

The doctor smiled widely, placing a warming hand on Dipper's armored shoulder, "Why, he is just like you: _a little boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders_. He is someone that wanted nothing more than to explore life, learn its secrets, and play as hard as he could…"

He lowered his head, "But that was until the calamity happened. A jealous partner of mine triggered a great catastrophe, plunging my world in a state of chaos. With no one else able to stop it, my boy stepped up and volunteered himself, just as you have this day. Despite my objections, he pledged to do whatever he could to bring about peace."

Dipper tapped his buster with affection, "Well, yeah, with this baby, I bet he could do pretty much whatever he wanted…"

"On the contrary!" the senior raised a finger in protest, "His greatest weapon was none other than his heart."

"His heart?"

"_All great heroes are led through what lies in their heart_. It is this that separates him from…_others of his kind_. In fact, he hopes for the day that he'll never have to put that blasted suit again." He lowered his head, "It's unfair to ask someone so young to carry this tremendous responsibility. It wasn't right then, and it's not right now!"

Dipper hung on his every word as the professor pressed on, "This is what I was trying to explain to you back in town. It's extremely easy to lose yourself with all of this power available at your fingertips. You can grow cocky and careless. However, only someone with a good heart can use it to benefit not only themselves, but all those around them." He looked up to meet the touched teenager eye to eye. "So, what says you, Dipper? Do you think you can be that kind of person?"

"I…" Dipper nervously stammered, "I can try…"

"That's great to hear, my lad! I know you can!"

"Was he - I mean, is he human?"

The man stared in the distance with a twinkle in his eye, "As human as you or I could ever hope to be..."

Dipper moved towards the edge of the chair, "I know the Arcade is probably the best place to start with, but what about Wendy? She's still out there somewhere…"

The doctor sympathized with him, "I know how much you miss and worry for your lady friend, but remember, you and her are not the only ones in peril! This evil force seems to be growing at an alarming rate. In time, your whole planet could be at risk! If you were to concentrate your efforts on her alone, there may not be a world to come back home to!"

"Oh…"

"Don't worry." He placed a hand over the boy's gloved one, "Based on your stories, it sounds like this young lady is more than able to fend for herself. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if you two were to come across each other in your journey. And then, when all is well, you'll find a way to make things right."

"You really think so?!" Dipper stood up and pushed his chair back. "Thank you again for all of your help and advice."

"Thank you, Dipper. I'm afraid I'm not one for the battlefield…"

"No biggie! You're more than welcome to rest here until I get back."

"One last thing…" the old-timer reached over to the side of the recliner. He picked up a thermos container from a row set aside, and handed it to Dipper. "I whipped this up while making myself some tea. It may not be perfect, but I believe it'll do the trick."

Dipper examined the capsule from every angle, "What is it?"

"A mixture of various things I found in the kitchen, but mostly based from highly-caffeinated soft drinks. Luckily, the two compounds share a lot of the same chemistry. Have some; I believe you'll find the taste to be quite pleasant."

The boy twisted his face as he twisted the lip off the sipper. Bravely, he tilted his head back and took a quick taste, only for the drop to turn into gulps. He glanced up, "It's…_good_! It tastes a lot like _Pinnacle_ _Rainfall_!"

"I'm glad you like it!" The doctor took a hold of the remaining two canisters. "In my world, the substance is what I called an _Energy Tank_ or E-Tank for short. Sometimes, the solar energy from the sun isn't enough to refresh your power levels. This is where an E-Tank can become handy…"

All of a sudden, Dipper felt better on the inside and out. The armor felt less taxing against his small body. The dings, scrapes, and bruises he occurred from the Robot Masters seemed to vanish without a trace.

He finished his drink as the professor gave him the two thermoses. "Take these two with you. I apologize, but I only had enough materials to make three of them. The armor will store them away until you need them."

The bottles started to glow as the suit automatically absorbed them into his palms. As Dipper started towards the family room exit, he stopped in mid-step. "The helmet - I almost forgot!"

"Wait!" the professor held up his arm, "Think about it; picture the helmet back on your head…"

The thirteen-year-old stared at the blue headgear, focusing his energy on the single object. As if by magic, it disappeared from the floor in a pixelated flash, only to reappear wrapped around the back of his head.

"Oh, neat!" Dipper tapped the top of the helmet to confirm it was really there. He opened the door and waved, "Thanks again!"

"Good luck, my boy! Remember, lead your way to victory through your heart!"

* * *

><p><em>"Okay, so this wasn't my best idea ever!"<em>

Dipper spun around in endless circles, his arm cannon releasing blast after powerful blast at the hordes of zombies that surrounded him. Chunks of greenish-red goo flew from the scene at an alarming rate before returning to tiny blocks of pixels as they hit the ground.

Trying to come up with some form of strategy, the armored hero figured that the best course of action would be to avoid taking Main Street in avoid to reach the Arcade. Instead, he opted to follow the scenic route, going through the forest from the Mystery Shack to the Cemetery.

Unfortunately, about halfway pass the various tombstones and monuments that blocked his path, Dipper could make out the haunting moans from across the field.

"Oh, no way…"

An army of the undead appeared from every possible direction. With mangled limbs stretched outwards, they marched in near-synchronization towards their latest prey.

Dipper's eyes zoomed down to the splattered mess as he persisted in his fight, "More pixels?" The monsters reminded him of the Jellymen that attacked Wendy and him while trapped in the _Slaughterhouse_ digital world. However, these zombies were less solid in form, appearing to have dripping flesh, similar to that of a runny-egg.

As soon he finished off the last of the fiends, a horrendous cry filled the calmed air:

"HOO!"

Dipper raised his sights to the sky as green and purple demons pounced right in front of him. Standing nearly eight-feet-tall, the beasts rose up on their hind legs and roared at him. They lunged forward with their cylinder-shaped skulls in an attempt to bite him with their unhinged spike-like teeth.

He went to dodge out of the way, only to discover that something held his legs down. Dipper gazed downwards to see that a group of sickly-orange severed hands wrapped themselves around his oversized boots, preventing him from fleeing.

*SCREECH! SCREECH!*

As Dipper struggled to free himself, one of the green behemoths sprang at him, scraping its razor-sharpened claws against his titanium chest plate, creating a series of scratch marks going downwards. In reflex, Dipper launched a blue fist against the demon's face, sending it flying into the distance in an carroty, gooey mess.

"If it wasn't for the armor, that thing would have yanked my insides out…"

Seeing that he was totally overwhelmed, the boy decided to switch weapons:

**"BUSTER CHANGE – ATOMIC FIRE!"**

His body temperature instantly changed as the heat within him started to build up. The hands gripping him yelped and cried out (despite being without mouths) before melting away into red, blocky puddles. Dipper could feel the pressure form at the end of his arm cannon. Without a second thought, he pointed it at the group of bulbous-headed imps.

"TAKE THIS!"

A literal wave of fire flowed from Dipper's buster. All of the monsters instantly turned to ash; their screams of "HOO! HOO! HOO!" were shortly muted by the deafening roar of the flamethrower.

Within seconds, Dipper was once more, all alone in the Cemetery. The only signs that a battle had taken place were a few scorched marks found in the green earth. His ears twitched as a small rustling sound came from behind. He spun around and pointed his ever-ready gun straight at his newest target.

Dipper's brown eyes widened as he found himself face-to-face with the gothic bully, Robbie V. Trapped in a two-dimensional state, his nemesis loomed over his tiny statute with an angered look spread across his pock-filled face. He pointed down and out in an accusing fashion with his hands wrapped in finger-less gloves, _almost like he knew exactly who he was talking to_. As for the case with everyone at the Mystery Shack, a repeated message played through his open mouth:

_"What are you looking at, nerd?"_

Dipper's breathing hastened as he maintained his aim at the helpless goth. _"If there were any justice in the world, I would be able to blast you to smithereens, too! This whole mess; with the villains, with Wendy, could have been prevented if it wasn't for you…"_

With his anger getting the best of him, the words of the good-natured doctor came to mind. He had been given a remarkable gift in order to try to make things right with the world, and the last thing that he needed to do was abuse his power by settling petty vendettas.

The youngster turned away from Robbie, deciding to be content with him not getting away scot-free for his crimes. As Dipper started to walk away, a taunting voice called out to him from the distance:

"WELL, WELL…NOT SURPRISING THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THE STONES TO FINISH THE JOB…"

"What?" The familiar, devilish tone made Dipper freeze in his tracks. He looked to the sky to see a glowing white object hovering towards him.

"THEN, AGAIN…" the crossed Kabuki-Hockey Mask suggested, "IT IS LIKE YOU TO SHIFT ALL OF THE BLAME FOR YOUR PROBLEMS TO SOMEONE ELSE…"

Dipper's lower lip trembled as the sentient _Slaughterhouse_ mask came into view. Seeing the spooked expression on the child's face, the ancient relic laughed, "WHAT?! IS THAT ANY WAY TO SAY HELLO? I SAVE THE BUTTS OF YOU AND THAT HOT REDHEAD CHICK AND THIS IS THE TREATMENT I GET IN RETURN? REMIND ME NEVER TO DO YOU ANY MORE FAVORS… "

"What – " Dipper spluttered, "What in the heck are you doing here? " He instantly jumped to the worse conclusion, "Did you summon all of those undead monsters?"

" AND THERE YOU GO AGAIN; IT'S NEVER YOUR FAULT, IS IT, KID?! IF ANYTHING, I SHOULD THANK YOU FOR MY NEW FOUND FREEDOM!"

"Why does everyone keep saying that?!" he screamed to the heavens. "I haven't set foot in that Arcade since the last time Rumble broke out from the machine! What exactly did I do?!"

"OH, YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW, DO YOU?" The mask lowered itself to meet him at eye level, "AND YOU'LL LOVE THIS, 'CAUSE YOU GET ONLY HALF OF THE BLAME. LET ME SET UP THE SCENARIO; DO YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU ESCAPED FROM THE DIGITAL WORLD THE FIRST TIME?"

"Well, yeah…" Dipper shifted his shoulders, "Wendy and I defeated that "evil king" guy, and were given a wish to share. We wished that we could go back home together…"

"AND THAT WAS SO HEARTWARMING. IF ONLY YOU WERE MORE SPECIFIC IN WISH-MAKING, YOU TWO WOULD STILL BE EVER-SO-CLOSE –"

"Look," Dipper butted in, "Are you going somewhere with this? I kinda have to be going …"

"MY POINT IS THAT, YEAH, YOU TWO LOVEBIRDS OPENED THE WAY BACK HOME, BUT DID YOU EVER ONCE THINK TO CLOSE THE PASSAGE BEHIND YOU?"

A sickening feeling grew in Dipper's stomach as he contemplated the mask's idea. "But, wait a sec! Mabel fried the _Fight Fighters_ machine. Shouldn't that have severed the link between universes?"

"YES…AND NO. LOOK TO YOUR LEFT…"

A viewing window appeared in the middle of the atmosphere. Dipper peered inside to see a lingering flashback that frequently played out in his nightmares. There he was, in the Gravity Falls Arcade, standing before Rumble McSkirmish within his game machine as the imagery of Wendy Corduroy pounding with her fists, crying out for her freedom was shown on the screen of every other video monitor.

"DOES THIS LOOK FAMILIAR?"

Dipper crossed his arms and turned away in shame, "You know it does…but are you trying to say?"

"I'M SAYING THAT WHILE METAL-MOUTH DID DESTROY THE MACHINE RUMBLE USED TO ESCAPE, WHAT ABOUT ALL OF THOSE OTHER SCREENS WHERE PRECIOUS WENDY WAS BEGGING YOU TO COME TO THE RESCUE?! A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME IF YOU ASK ME…"

"That's not funny!" He pointed his buster towards the supernatural piece, "You weren't – " Dipper stopped in place, his anger fading away as he realized the mask's suggestion, "They're _all_ gateways, aren't they? We blew up one of them, but the other games; _they're all gateways between worlds!"_

"HE CAN BE TAUGHT!" the mask poked fun, "AS TIME PASSED, A DIGITAL CURRENT STARTED TO MAKE ITS WAY INTO YOUR REALITY. THE EMPEROR OF DARKNESS STARTED TO BUILD HIS POWER ON EARTH, AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE IT!"

"But why us?!" Dipper asked. "That purple guy has it out for both of us, but why? What did we do to tick him off?"

"THAT'S THE THING, DIPPER, MY BOY! FOR ONCE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY INNOCENT!" The creepy heirloom rose up, "TELL ME, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU AND DARLING WENDY WERE THE FIRST KIDS TO BE TAKEN INTO THE DIGITAL WORLD?"

Dipper was left dumbfounded by the question; it had never crossed his mind before being mentioned at this moment.

"NO WITTY COMEBACK FROM MR. KNOW-IT-ALL? I'M IMPRESSED. ANYWAYS, THE WAY IT WORKS IS YES, THE CITIZENS OF OUR UNIVERSE UNDERSTAND IT IS THEIR ROLES TO BE USED FOR THE AMUSEMENT OF THE FLESHY HUMANS. BUT WHEN YOU COME INTO OUR TERRORITY, THE RULES CHANGE, AND YOU ARE THE ONES NARROWLY SURVIVING PERILS SET AT EVERY TURN."

The mask's empty eyes shone a blood red, "AND WHILE YOU AND WENDY WEREN'T THE FIRST TO BE SUCKED INSIDE, YOU WERE THE FIRST TO ESCAPE. THINK ABOUT IT, BRAT; TWO LITTLE PUNKS INVADE YOUR TURF AND ASSASSINATE ONE OF YOUR GREAT LEADERS – "

"But he was evil!"

"HE WAS A LEADER TO MANY, NONETHELESS. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL? TO THE VILLAINS OF THE GAMING UNIVERSE, YOU GUYS BASICALLY SPAT IN THEIR FACES BEFORE HOPPING THROUGH A PORTAL HOME WHILE FLIPPING THE BIRD."

"So, wait?" Dipper stopped the heirloom again, "You're telling me that this is all about revenge? Not just towards Wendy and me, but in contempt for humanity as a whole?"

"YOU GOT IT!"

Dipper rubbed the back of his head in amazement, "That's incredible…in a scary way!"

"THAT'S NOT ALL! TELL ME, NOT COUNTING THE OL' DOC YOU HAVE STASHED AWAY, NOTICE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR ABOUT THESE INVADERS?"

The adolescent returned a blank stare, prompting the mask to give further details, "OH, YOU KNOW. KILLER ROBOTS AND DOG-FACED GOBLINS? LIZARDMEN AND DEADLY NINJAS? ANYTHING RING A BELL?"

"Well…"

"THEY'RE ALL BAD GUYS, GENIUS! YOU WERE RIGHT ABOUT THEM SWITCHING PLACES IN REALITY, BUT ONLY THE VILLAINS ARE COMING THROUGH! ALL THE HEROES OF THE GAMING UNIVERSE ARE LEFT BEHIND!"

"What?!"

"AS OF THIS MOMENT, YOU ARE THE ONLY GAME-BASED HERO STANDING IN THIS GUY'S WAY!" The eyes curved slightly, "WELL, YOU AND…BUT THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW…"

"Hold on!" Dipper ordered, raising an eyebrow, "Who are you talking about?" The mask remained silent. "Are you talking about Wendy?! Do you know if she's alright? Or where she is?"

"BUT WHERE'S THE FUN IN JUST GIVING YOU ALL OF THE ANSWERS?"

"Grr…" Dipper decided to try a different approach to get his question answered, "Fine, then! Some all-powerful evil relic; I'll bet you couldn't tell me about Wendy even if you wanted to…"

"NICE TRY, KID, BUT SAVE YOUR REVERSE-PSYCHOLOGY FOR SOME OTHER SAP. NO, IF YOU WANT ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT HER, PERHAPS WE CAN WORK OUT SOME SORT OF DEAL…"

Dipper was growing wary based upon the sing-song tone being used, "And what would that be?"

The mask loomed closer, "PUT ME ON AGAIN! C'MON! IT'LL BE FUN, LIKE THE GOOD OL' DAYS! WE'LL HAVE A TON OF ADVENTURES, BREAKING BONES AND PUTTING SOME SERIOUS HURT ON THE THINGS STALKING THE STREETS. IT'LL BE MESSY, BUT I CAN PROMISE YOU IT'S A LOT BETTER THAN THAT TIN-CAN YOU'RE WEARING RIGHT NOW!"

Without saying another word, Dipper charged a blaster shot and aimed it squarely at the tempting mask. He remembered from their last encounter how strong and free that the artifact made him feel, and yet, he also recall how it encouraged him to be more violent, allowing him to blindly give into his rage without any form of self-control. Too many people were counting on him than to dash it all by giving in to the tom-foolery at hand. At least while wearing the blue armor, _Dipper was truly himself_.

"OKAY! OKAY!" it floated into the sky. "DON'T SAY I DIDN'T TRY TO HELP YOU…" Disgusted, Dipper turned away as the mask called out one last time, "YEAH, JUST WALK AWAY WITH YOUR SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT JUST YOU REMEMBER ONE THING, PAL: YOU'RE HERE WITH US IN A WORLD SUPPOSEDLY MADE UP OF ONLY BAD GUYS, SO WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT WHO YOU REALLY ARE?"

Stunned by his response, Dipper looked over his shoulder, only to discover that the mask had vanished as easily as it appeared. With its vicious words poking at the back of his mind, he paced himself as he continued towards his next destination…


	13. Chapter 12

_"Maybe, things happen for a reason,  
>and where in lies the answer<br>to overcome the grieving of life's unruly lessons  
>I'm handed in succession.<br>It builds my pain which makes me strong…"_

"Only the Strong," by Flaw

**Chapter 12 – The Baby**

"Well, at least we're getting somewhere..."

Wendy's eyes scanned around until her newest companion came into view.

"…isn't that right, little guy?"

The tiny alien jellyfish let out a delighted squeal, flexing its unhinged mandible wildly as it followed the armored teenager through the opened blue bubble door. After the creature cleared the blocked passage of the super-sticky gap, Wendy searched endlessly for a path to the surface. The determined girl continued to investigate the catacombs, left to wonder if with each step taken, was she any closer to finding her way back to reality.

Every so often, the team would come across a swarm of the vicious bug-like monsters, letting Wendy know that they were heading in the right direction. Before the fight even began, the ginger would make quick work of their enemies with her trusty green arm blaster. The few survivors would attempt to return fire, only to ignite the wrath of her miniscule protector hovering nearby. The infant would zoom towards the threat, lock its jaws down, and drain every ounce of energy from its prey until it was left a dried, dust-covered husk of its former self. Satisfied, the jellyfish would return to Wendy's side, seeking praise for a job well done from its adopted motherly-figure.

She rubbed the gelatinous mass, as one would a pet, as she pondered about its carnivorous nature. "Glad that wasn't me…" As time passed, Wendy would become less unnerved by the gruesome act, growing even grateful for the extra help. However, she could easily note that _the more the creature devoured, the more it grew in size._

Coming across a new area, the extraterrestrial would go off on its own to explore the territory, only to return moments later, flying around Wendy's being, chattering away excitedly in an indescribable language. The redhead simply smiled from behind her lime visor and shook her head.

_"That's so crazy; not only does it have his colors, but it kinda acts like him, too…"_

Wendy glanced down at the orange, brown, and blue speck in her arms, only to be reminded of her friend yet again. She raised her head and let out a sigh. "Sure," the cashier girl admitted to herself, "I'm just as worried about Mabel and Soos and even Stan. And yeah, my family can probably take care of themselves. _But with him_, it's different…"

She couldn't put her finger on it. Perhaps it was the tremendous loneliness building up. Maybe she was somewhat worried since the boy had a bull's-eye on his back just as much as she did. Conceivably, it could have been the fact that she regretted the fact that the last thing she said to him was how much she hated the twelve-year-old's guts and blamed him for this whole mess.

No matter the reason, Wendy knew the truth. Even after everything that had happened between the two of them; regardless of the hurt and painful feelings lingering inside, _she missed Dipper_ – and the only thing that would make it better was to make sure he was alright.

The jellyfish, as if it could sense Wendy's concern, stopped in place, and nestled up against her shoulder blade, purring gently into her covered ear. She massaged the top of its translucent head, "Oh, I'm alright, fella. Just a bit down in the dumps, is all." Wendy flexed her shoulder to get the creature up, "Come on, let's see where this place goes!"

A massive wave of heat struck Wendy mercilessly, making the pressure rise from within her enclosure. She wiped a layer of sweat away from the front of her helmet. Within seconds, puddles of sweat began to form across her every nether-region.

"Phew," Wendy went to wipe her brow before recognizing it would be for naught while still armored, "Someone really needs to crank the A.C. in here!"

The lumberjack princess scoped around the new-found area. They had arrived at a sort of underground lava grotto. Liquid, red-hot magma flowed from holes in the crimson earth, forming into large, boiling pools on the ground. Thinly-laid footholds provided a narrow passage to the massive platform at the far end of the cavern.

The alien cooed loudly, leaving Wendy's side, and soared over the columns, arriving at their destination safe and sound. It bobbed up and down, sending a series of lively squeals and clicks towards its caretaker.

"That's very nice…" Wendy called out with a sarcastic tone in her voice, _"…for those of us who can fly!"_

Wendy pointed her blaster at the lava and switched to her Ice Beam, "I'm going to try to cheat a little here. Maybe I can slide my way through this mess all superhero-style!" The blue blast rushed from the cannon into the magma. An instant later, a solid ice buoy ascended up from the lava pit.

"Success!" Wendy pumped her fist into the air in celebration.

Before she had a chance to set foot onto the icy float, the blistering river rose up and overtook the tiny stage, instantly reducing it to a pile of steam.

"Rats!"

She bit her lip as she studied the peril inches away from her. There wasn't any other way around this plight nor was a hidden devour to be taken. Wendy placed a steady boot onto the first tower, trying her best to determine if it would be strong enough to support her modest weight.

"Hmm…" She pressed down a few times, "Doesn't seem like it's goin' anywhere…" In spite of her best efforts, Wendy looked back at what awaited her if she managed to lose her footing. The bubbles forming in the lava pit seemed to increase in velocity, bringing her on edge.

_"This suit can barely stand up to the overall heat of this place. I doubt it would be able to hold up if I was to fall into that stuff…"_

Knowing that she didn't have much choice, Wendy took a deep breath, and stepped into the slender ridge. She held her arms out at her sides, waving wildly as she tried to maintain her balance.

"You can do this, Wendy-girl!" She cheered herself on, "Just don't look down – keep it straight ahead…"

Wendy set her sights on the next grip, realizing that it was slightly higher than the last. She bunched her nerves and reached out with her free leg, barely making the next jump.

"WWWHHHHHHHOOOOOAAAA!" She felt herself being pulled back due to the way she landed on the platform. Her jellyfish partner shrieked at her misfortune. A split second later, Wendy was able to readjust her form, fighting back against the forces of gravity. She shot a look back at the worried newborn with an exhale.

"You see?" the girl prided on one foot, "Nothing to it!"

*RUMBLE*

Wendy could feel the ground shift beneath her. She glimpsed down to see that the column she was standing on started to sink into the simmering molten rock. Knowing that her time was limited, the nimble teen hopped to the next pillar, only to feel it collapse under her feet.

"Oh, come on!"

Holding her breath, she leapt from post to post until she reached the sturdy center platform. Exhausted, Wendy collapsed on the solid ground, and looked behind her. She watched as the remnants of the columns soon disappeared underneath the layer of lava.

"Man," she mused, knowing how close she came to a swift death, "It's times like these that make me wish I'd taken up gymnastics when I was a kid…"

She held her head up to see the baby jellyfish happily rotating around her arms and legs. Wendy could do nothing but chuckle at the adorable display before her green eyes. "Yeah, yeah…" she patted the friendly mini-monster, "I missed ya, too…"

After taking a second or two to regain her energy, Wendy stood back up and walked down the huge chunk of violet-colored land. At the end of the platform, she watched an overflow of lava pouring into a ravine several stories below. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to find another way down from the cliffside, only to come up empty-handed idea-wise.

"That's just perfect!" Wendy lamented, "And we can't go back the way we came! So, now what do we do?"

*EEEE!* *EEEE!*

The adolescent spun around on her jet-propelled heels as she heard the cries of the infant jellyfish. She stood face-to-face with a towering, shadowy form. A pair of glowing yellow eyes stared at her from the darkness. A geyser of lava exploded on each side of the cliff, shedding some much-needed light across the area.

The _purple-scaled pterodactyl_ had found her once again! It tilted its long head back and roared at the top of its lungs, making the entire cavern quake violently.

"Oh, no! Not this guy!"

Wendy backed away from the gigantic dinosaur as it took another step in her direction. She looked around her shoulder, peering downwards into the end of the lava-fall. The teen gulped at the realization before her.

_"He's got me trapped! There's no way out!"_

Wendy readied her gun, unsure of how much it would be able to help in this situation.

"He mopped the floor with me last time," she thought. "Add to the fact how constricted this piece is, all I need to do is slip off of it, and I'm a goner…"

The pterodactyl's eyes lit up as it opened its mouth and shot a group of fireballs straight at Wendy. Out of reflex, she took to the air; the boosts attached to the bottoms of her boots launched her into a double-jump.

"This thing is nuts! It's almost like it has a death wish or something!"

Suddenly, the tiny jellyfish zoomed towards the threat, crying out all of the way. The monster swiped its clawed hand at the speck, sending it flying into the background.

"EEEEEEEEE!"

"HEY!" Wendy landed on the ground and took aim at the beast, "No one messes with _any_ of my boys!" Her shooter shifted as it morphed into its missile launcher format, "TAKE THIS!"

*BLAM! BLAM!*

Wendy was able to connect two missiles straight into the pterodactyl's chest, making it shuffle backwards.

"YES! I GOT IT!"

The fiend let out a second bellow, bringing down more of the rooftop around them. Wendy covered her head as several rocks and stones came crashing down towards her. It reminded her of what happened the last time she faced off with the prehistoric threat.

_"If this thing keeps going like this, it's gonna get us both killed! I gotta put a stop to this somehow…"_

From out of nowhere, the purple nemesis launched its pointed-tipped tail towards Wendy, prompting her to take flight for a second time. She held her green blaster downwards as she let another missile collide against its face.

"CCCCRRRRAAAWWW!"

She fell into one knee, ready to deliver a fourth blow to the stunned relic, "Not so tough now, are we?"

Unknown to Wendy, the behemoth's tail was positioned above her head. She was left completely unaware as the appendage slammed down on her at an alarming speed…

*CRASH!*

"Ugh!" Wendy shortly found herself sprawled out across the floor. Before she could make it make to her feet, the lanky girl could feel something wrapping around her mid-section. She was hoisted high into the air, finding her inches away from her opponent's face.

Wendy turned her head back and forth, taking in that she had been wrapped up within the creature's tail. She twisted and wiggled her agile body, trying any way to slip out of its grasp. However, it had too tight of a grip on her to provide any form of slack.

"Crap! It has my arms pinned, so I can't even get a shot off!"

Unable to move in the slightest, Wendy could do nothing but watch as the pterodactyl spun her around in the air, as if it was analyzing her from every possible angle. It brought her inches away from its mouth, releasing a howl that left her dazzled. The visor was blocked with mist, robbing her of all sight. A ringing sound echoed in her eyes, leaving without the ability to hear.

The teen could sense her body being pulled through the air. For some reason, she started to feel a colossal amount of heat drawing down upon her. Wendy turned away from the source, as little by little, the blockage in front of her helmet began to evaporate.

*GASP!*

Wendy saw that she was held head over heels over the boiling lava pool. She turned towards the brute as it waited patiently at the edge of the platform, opening and closing its jaws like it wanted to laugh at her. It tightened its hold, squeezing the defenseless clerk until she yelped.

"It's almost like…_it's coherent_…but that can't be right! It's just a wild animal!"

*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*

Random alarms flashed on Wendy's visor, letting her know that the capabilities of the suit were definitely being taxed. The closer she came to the lava, the more energy that was being drained on the spot.

She was pulled upwards until being jerked to a stop. The villain rubbed its tiny hands together in merriment as it set its eyes to the lava pit. Wendy was finally starting to comprehend what was coming next:

_"It's going to dunk me into the magma!"_

Wendy tried to pull her arms loose, kicking and squirming to the best of her abilities to break free. Sooner than she expected, the armor-clad warrior was thrust towards the lava…

"NO! DON'T!"

A high-pitched cry reverberated through the cavern, followed by the yowl of the pterodactyl. An instant before hitting the molten rock, Wendy was pulled back into the sky. The coils around her body loosen as she felt back to earth with a loud *THUMP!*

"Oof!" Wendy made it to her knees and watched in awe at the sight in front of her. The baby jellyfish had latched itself onto the face of the dinosaur. The reptile stumbled backwards as it tried to peel the alien being from its cranium. The infant simply dug its teeth deeper into the scaled flesh and held on for dear life.

"Yeah! That's right, small fry! Get 'em!" Wendy went to stand up to aid in the battle, only to slump back to a knee.

"Huh?" Her body was full of vigor, and yet, the suit bonded to her felt like it weighed a ton. A new warning gauge appeared on her visor screen:

**"ENERGY LEVELS BEYOND CRITICAL! RECHARGING PROCESS STARTING!"**

Wendy watched as the meter started to fill at a turtle's pace.

"What gives?" she asked, trying to find a way to maneuver around, _"I guess the armor has to work in conjunction with me, or it doesn't work at all!"_

She could only wait impatiently as the two gaming beings duked it out. Wendy's emerald eyes widened as she noticed something occurring with her friend, "It's – It's growing bigger!"

As the tiny alien devoured the pterodactyl, its size almost _tripled_! The color was being drained from the enemy, leaving it a faded pink in place of its royal purple hue. Its movements slowed to a crawl until they stopped completely. As with all of its other victims, the menace was left an hollowed shell of its former self.

With its task completed, the now-adult jellyfish swarmed around the fallen Wendy, leaving her confused of its true intentions. It circled around back before soaring solely over her head.

"Hey, there, pally…" Wendy questioned nervously, "Whatcha' doing up there?"

Without warning, the jellyfish whooshed down upon her and clenched its jaws on her shoulder blades.

"STOP! DON'T DO - _Wait_…?"

To Wendy's surprise, her companion did not drain the last energy from her. On the contrary, the fifteen-year-old noticed that her power levels were _rising_ at a fantastic rate!

She lifted her head to see that the newborn shifted in rhythm of flexing and releasing its mandibles.

"I get it now!" Wendy exclaimed. "You took the life-force from that big guy to help me!" She rubbed an ivory-white tooth as it worked in reverse, "Wow…_I didn't know you could do that…"_

"CCCCRRRRAAAWWW!"

Wendy changed focus as she could make out the thunderous stamping of the pterodactyl in front of them. The monster opened its beak as a column of fire formed at the back of its throat. She attempted to move out of the way, only to find that the red and yellow suit continued to weigh her down. It hadn't reached full power yet!

Just as the flame mounted in her direction, the jellyfish let go of Wendy and threw itself in front of her, shielding her from any possible harm. Her jaw dropped at the severe act of selflessness. Her protests went ignored, as her defender refused to flee for its own safety. With every blast taken in, the alien's shade would change. Its blue and orange tint turned a sickly green and red.

As a last ditch effort, the jellyfish pressed on, preparing to attack its foe one more time. Noting its change in pattern, the pterodactyl raised its beak and fired its largest projectile yet at the flying attacker.

"AAAAACCCCKKKK!"

Wendy stared on in horror as the inner shell of the jellyfish cracked down the middle, igniting it ablaze. The guardian exploded into countless pieces; Wendy was swiftly blanketed in a seemingly-endless pile of multi-colored pixels. From within the stream, she could have sworn to have a child-like voice whisper into her covered ear:

_"Mama…"_

"POWER FULLY RESTORED! HYPER MODE ENABLED!"

With tears in her eyes, Wendy rose back to her feet in a single bound. Her cast-iron suit flashed a rainbow of different colors, reflecting the blanket of pixels that covered her entire body. An uncountable amount of ashes slid through her metal fingertips as she threw her head upwards.

_"It's not fair…"_ She huffed and puffed, her essence trimming with pure energy. "_The baby_…didn't do anything to deserve _that_. You – _they_ took it away from me - the same way they took Dipper away from me…"

In a fit of rage, Wendy dashed at the pterodactyl, "You'll pay for that!" She dodged its snapping head and delivered a furious uppercut; the momentum of the blow sent them over the edge of the cliff.

"YOU'LL PAY!"

As they plummeted towards their demise, the irate redhead took hold of the monster's chest and continued her non-stop assault. Her right arm began nothing more than a thunderous, orange blur.

Just before they hit the lava lake, Wendy jammed her arm deep into the mouth of the dazed lizard. The missile expansion charged up, exhorting beams of light from within the dark crevice. A deafening, primal roar, almost Amazonian in nature, escaped from within the girl's thinning frame as she pulled the trigger.

*KA-BOOM!*

The force of the blast sent Wendy flying from the monster's hide. She crashed with a bounce onto a close by floating stone. Every square of her body ached. Wendy raised her head to see the pterodactyl sinking into the deep pond of sizzling magma.

All of a sudden, the teenager felt herself being dragged slowly across the terrain. She sat up to see that the beast's tail was tangled around her left leg, pulling her ever so closer to the deadly peril! Wendy pulled at the extremity, grunting and fumbling to no prevail. She couldn't believe it; her foe might still claim victory even in the face of death.

As she continued to slide to her doom, a new message flashed on her visor:

"**HYPER BEAM ONLINE!"**

"Well…" Wendy closed an eye, knowing that she would only enough time left for one shot, "When in Rome…"

The blaster mounted on her arm flashed a multihued of color, releasing a powerful ray that threw her backwards.

"WHOA!"

Her protected head smacked the hard surface with a *THONK!*. Wendy rose up again, noticing that the tail around her ankle was reverting back to the dust-like pixels that originally triggered its metamorphosis. The tip of the long head disappeared under the lava as a hush *SQUAWK!* entered the atmosphere.

Victorious, Wendy lowered her head as she exhaled in relief. It was finally over…

*SPLASH!*

A bony structure rose up from the molten rock. The skeleton fell back towards the collapsed girl, forcing her to curdle up to the edge of the platform. A lone scream and a rolling crash could be heard throughout the passage.

Wendy opened her green eyes to see the skinless remains of the pterodactyl gawking down over her. By sheer luck, it had missed the slim teen by inches. The flow of the lava dragged the carcass back into the pit, leaving her alone in the world once more.

After taking a moment to gather herself, Wendy rose to a standing position, looking around the bottom half of the cavern for the nearest exit. Across the heated lake, a series of pebbles led to a small peninsula against the back wall. She could make out another blue bubble door embedded in the structure.

Almost by second nature, Wendy agilely flew from spot to spot until she reached the high ground. She shot a shorten beam at the door to open it, making sure to readjust her stance for the recoil. Before the girl walked through the gateway, Wendy looked over her shoulder to the cliff where she had fallen from. She sniffled as she offered a simple parting:

_"…bye, little guy…"_

* * *

><p>On the other side of the door, Wendy found a tiny room shining with an eerie, bluish glow. A simple, gray tile decorated the walls and flooring of the area. In the center, she spotted a slim, neon yellow cover illuminating to what seemed to be hundreds of feet in the air.<p>

Wendy went to survey the scene in an attempt to figure out where to go next, when she was halted in mid-step. A loud *CLICKING* sound filled the dead air.

"What the – ?"

She lowered her eyes to the ground, realizing that her boots had become fastened to the radiating panel. Confused, Wendy grabbed an ankle and pulled as hard as she could. However, she remained held fast.

"My feet…" Wendy murmured as she switched legs, "They're stuck tight!"

The girl was startled further as she could make out a "revving" sound, similar to that of an engine being started. The ground shook beneath Wendy's trapped peds.

"W-What's that sound?! Where's it coming from?"

Unexpectedly, Wendy was instantly thrown into the air. She shrieked aloud as she flew at light-speed. The outside world appeared to be nothing but a complete and utter blur. A few seconds later, the velocity began to slow before coming to a complete stop, leaving Wendy feeling dizzy and jet-lagged.

*CLICK*

Her boots were released from the board, making her stagger about until she recovered. She turned back towards the flashing panel in disbelief.

"_It's an elevator_…of all of the crazy…"

The landing port looked identical to the gray covered chamber Wendy had departed from. The only obvious difference was that there was the now-common blue bubble door on the right side of the room.

*ZIP!*

Wendy poked her head through the entrance, being wary of any new threat that might be waiting for on the other side. Instead, the sight before the young lady's emerald eyes instantaneously took her breath away.

"WOW!"

She found herself amidst of what appeared to an abandoned _underground laboratory_. The dimmed light structures implanted in the ceiling and flooring flickered randomly. A thick layer of dust seemed to cover every possible surface of the area.

Her natural curiosity gaining the best of her, Wendy exited the bubble, only to have it vanish as she came through. She whirled around and began to pat at the stone wall, her sense raised at having another escape blocked off.

Left without an alternative option, Wendy continued to search around the chamber. Sturdy, yet heavily aged wooden beams supported the massive structure. An object that looked like a giant, upside-down metal triangle hung against the furthest wall. A traditional pump generator was welded into the ground beneath it. A crystal-clear circular panel could be spotted in its center. Lit up by tiny blue lights placed alongside its edges, Wendy forced herself to walk away from the oddity. Something deep in her soul told her that messing around further with the article would only trigger a greater calamity than the one she currently found herself in.

On her left-hand side, Wendy could see a sort of paneling with a see-through glass window at the very top. She went through the nearby open doorway, spotting a desk on the other side. A hoary control panel was stationed on top, covered with unmarked switches and buttons. A small cabinet with a closed shutter was to her right, nettled besides an forgotten coffee mug filled with a moldy, ice-cold beverage. She jiggled the handle, only to discover it was locked tightly.

"Hmm…I bet I could blow it up, but I'd risk destroying everything else here; it's not worth the risk…"

As she was about to turn away, a peculiar sight caught her attention. A framed photo was placed on top of the desk. Wendy reached out for the picture as her eyebrow raised, "Wha – "

The two people featured within the frame was none other her friends, the Pines twins. Mabel stretched out her pie faced cheeks with her fingers as Dipper stood to her left, slyly placing "rabbit ears" behind his sibling's binky as he grinned innocently.

Wendy set the memento down, _"What is this place? And why's a pic of the guys' here? This doesn't make any sense…"_

*BEEP – BEEP –BEEP – BEEP!*

The observation center besides her suddenly sprang to life! Gauges raced up and down at a speedy rate. Radar screens sparked with numerous blinking red dots spreading all over the display. Half a dozen old fashioned, tube surveillance monitors rolled the same, static-filled exhibit. The illuminated knobs and toggles offered a haunting, gentle light amiss the dimness.

"This is surreal…" Wendy found herself amazed by the various machinery and gadgets displayed on both sides. "It's like…I'm half-expecting some crazed, mad-scientist guy to pop out from behind one of these things any second now…"

At the edge of the hall, the wall parted ways, extending more brightness to the lost girl. With gun-arm carefully aimed, Wendy peeked into the opening to see that it was a form of elevator. With her reflexes still heightened, she strolled inside, perceiving three simple buttons next to the door.

"Let's see," Wendy read, "Third Floor – I'm already there; Second Floor, and…First Floor…" She pressed the top button, "First Floor it is! The closer I am to the surface, the better!" The metal doors shut with a rusty, scraping sound. A few screened holes in the gates allowed some view of the outside world. The noisy pulley started to hum loudly as the tiny car was pulled upwards at a steady pace.

The earnest contraption made the ginger appreciate the simpler things in her life, "This is way easier than being zoomed over the place while glued to the ground!"

She looked ahead as the elevator passed the second floor. The only attraction that she could make out due to the obstructed view was a lone door with a large keyhole. Wendy ignored it, leaning her weary body against the back wall. "Nah…had enough crazy mysteries for one day…"

The elevator let out a basic, near-silent ring upon reaching the destination. Wendy stood in front of a decaying, chirped staircase leading upwards. A lone light bulb in the ceiling provided a ghastly green glow to the area. The surrounding walls were cracked, as its drywall was slowly deteriorating away due to natural causes.

Taking a hold of the rigid arm rail shabbily built into place, Wendy went up the stairs one at a time. With every step taken, the clawing feeling in her stomach grew, knowing that possibly any horrid thing could be waiting for her at the end of the journey.

At the top of the stairs, a giant black shape blocked her passage. An effortless red button was placed in its middle. Shrugging her shoulders, Wendy tapped the trigger with a metal finger, only to stand back as the blockage shifted and opened outwards. Her emerald eyes widened as she made her exit.

"NO…FREAKIN'…WAY!"

The perplexed teen was back inside of the Gift Shop of the Mystery Shack, inches away from her usual workstation. Wendy took a deep, relaxing breath, feeling content for being able to see natural light outside of the open window. At waist level, she glimpsed Dipper's twin, Mabel standing still with a goofy grin on her face.

"Hey, kiddo! Boy, am I glad to – "

Mabel interrupted her friend's greeting, "_"Well, hello there, handsome! My name's Mabel, but you can call me "all yours!"_

Wendy placed a hand on her hip as she looked down in disbelief, "What did you just say?"

As commanded, the little girl repeated her message, despite her body not moving a single inch, _"Well, hello there, handsome! My name's Mabel, but you can call me "all yours!"_

"Mabel?" Wendy reached for her shoulder, "What's wrong with you – ARGH!" As soon as Wendy made contact with her co-worker, an unpleasant screeching sound rang throughout the entire Gift Shop, making the redhead recoil in agony. Not even her helmet provided any solace from the riveting blast.

Once her focus became back, Wendy gazed down at her hand, seeing that a thin layer of pixels had smeared across her palm.

"Those are…_the game pieces the bad guys are made of?"_ She raised her head back at the tiny pixie, "But she's really real…_right_?" Wendy walked around her immobile buddy, realizing that the poor tween was literally missing an entire dimension!

_"It's like she's been turned into a living, breathing cardboard cut-out of herself! But what could have…?"_

As Wendy searched around the room, she found both her handyman ally, Soos, as well her employer Stan Pines, had been placed into different positions around the mini-store. The man-child was arranged next to a rack of T-Shirts from which his "uniform" came from. Stan on the other hand, was posed shouting over her usual station, as if he was frozen in the middle of a great argument. As was with Mabel, both males had been transformed into a flat, blocky caricature of their former selves.

An atrocious thought felt a shiver down Wendy's spine, "What if everyone's like this? My family, Tambry and the gang, Lazy Susan and the other townspeople; they could all already be gone. What if I'm the only person left alive? I don't even –"

Her thoughts were cut short as the swinging door leading to the Pines' family room swung open. A short and shout elderly man with long white hair and a full beard pushed against the flap. Dressed in a stereotypical white lab coat and slacks, the old timer called out, "Is that you, my boy? You're back already? Did you forget – "

_"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!"_ Wendy thought, _"I was right! It's a mad scientist dude!"_

"FREEZE!"

Wendy jumped into plain view with her arm cannon pointed dead center at the man, "Don't you dare move, oldies!"

"BAH!" The old timer was startled, hopping in place, before throwing his arms in the air, "Don't shoot! I'm unarmed – "

"SHUT UP!" the youngster ordered, holding her weapon even closer, "Who are you? What are you doing here? What did you do to them?"

With a confounded look on his face, the senior replied, "I didn't do anything to them! They were like that when we first came here!"

"We?!" Wendy questioned further, "Who's "_we_?""

He lowered a hand to his ear, "I'm sorry – I can barely understand you from behind that mask…"

With an annoyed groan, "For the love of – " Wendy relaxed her thoughts and pulled off her heavy helmet. A rush of cool, refreshing air struck her sweaty freckled face. Her long, auburn hair draped down behind her armor. She tucked the piece under her free arm, "Is that better, gramps? Now, start squawking!"

"Actually, it is quite…_wait_…" The sight of the gingered female towering over him triggered his memory, "By chance, are you…blast, what did he say was her name? Umm…oh, yes! _Wendy_! Are you Miss Corduroy, I presume?"

Wendy was agitated by the guessing game, "How do you know my name?"

"The little boy told me! Dipper told me all about you!"

Hearing her missing companion's name uttered, Wendy pulled back from her defensive state, "Dipper?! Wait, _you know Dipper? My little Dipper?!"_

The doctor smiled as he comprehended that she was starting to calm down, "Yes, actually, he saved my life earlier today!"

She knelt down to see the professor eye-to-eye, "Well, where is he? Is he alright? He didn't end up like those guys, did he?"

The man shook his head, "He's quite fine, I assure you. We are attacked in town, so he brought me here to regroup. We guessed that the signal allowing these creatures and monsters in this world is possibly stemming from the local Arcade."

"The Arcade?!" Wendy flashed back to when she was pulled through this universe to the next by the hero-turned villain Rumble McSkirmish, "That actually makes sense! Why didn't I think of that?"

"He went there to try to put a stop to it…"

Wendy griped the doctor's shoulders, "And you just let him go by himself? With all that crazy stuff out there?!"

He placed his hands on top of her metallic ones, "Trust me, my dear, that lad is more than capable of taking care of himself. I don't think anything I could have said would have deterred him. In fact…" He looked up to her green eyes, "He seemed desperate in locating your whereabouts…"

The girl shrunk back, "Dipper…_was worried about me…?"_

The professor nodded, "Quite so, young miss. I'd say he was left rather distraught by your disappearance…"

A warm feeling stirred in the pit of her stomach. Wendy pushed it away, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand.

"Sorry about before," Wendy apologized, "It's just…I saw the guys like that, and your outfit, and add to the fact about the secret passageway…"

"It's quite alright…_but what passageway are you talking about?"_

She titled her head, "The one against the –" Wendy stopped in mid-sentence as the new path had seemingly disappeared, being replaced by Stan's vending machine. She rose to her feet and tapped at the structure, "But – But it was right here a second ago! I don't understand…"

The doctor ruffled his beard, "It could have been a side-effect of the other universe trying to merge with this one. New elements could be added by the second…"

"Yeah, that's gotta be it…" Wendy looked at Stan's harden look, "Besides, _it's not like Stan could have anything to do with it. The man doesn't have the cognitive capacity to use a computer, yet alone build some sort of secret lair!_"

Wendy turned to face the miniature adult, "Listen, thanks for the info, but I have to go after Dipper. I can't let him deal with all of this craziness on his own! In the meantime, if someone else comes, just make sure to stay in hiding, okay?"

"But wait a moment –"

"Sorry," Wendy turned around and headed towards the Gift Shop's exit, "But, I can't stay any longer longer! My boy needs my help!" With that, she dashed into the woods, making her way towards downtown Gravity Falls.

"But you don't understand!" The doctor called out after her, "There's something important you need to know about your friend!"


	14. Chapter 13

_"Can you save me from this world of mine,  
>before I get myself arrested with this expectation?<br>You are the one. Look what you've done.  
>What have you done?<br>This is not some kind of joke.  
>You're just a kid!<br>You weren't ready for what you did!"_

"Ordinary," by Train

**Chapter 13 – The Greater Good**

Dipper hopped back just in the nick of time, avoiding being knocked over by the _blue blur_ passing him by.

"Man, I just can't lose this guy!"

It had been only moments before when the miniature armored teenager had set foot onto Downtown Gravity Falls, determined to make his way to the Arcade in hopes of stopping the digital influence flowing over into the real world.

*BBBBBUUUUUUZZZZ*

An unusual humming sound made Dipper stop in his tracks. As his eyes scanned the areas for clues to the source of the noise, he started to charge his buster, readying a solid shot in case trouble would arise. He looked out into the woodland distance, watching in confused awe as the foliage seemed to part away as an invisible, yet incredibly powerful force flew through them.

"What…" Dipper faltered, taking a firmer grasp on his arm cannon, "What is that?!"

The rumbling notion came closer. The wind picked up and splashed across his face, forcing him to hold an arm up to shield himself. The small debris and pebbles lying at Dipper's feet vibrated violently. The crashing weighed heavily on his amplified eardrums, "It's like a _sonic boom_ or something! But that's impossible!"

*WWHOOOOOSH!*

From out of the woods, a sapphire fireball flew straight towards Dipper. Out of reflex, he bent his knees and leapt out of harm's way. Dipper held his gun tightly and aimed diagonally towards the soaring streak.

*BBBBLLLLLAAAAAMMMMMM!*

As the smoke cleared, Dipper landed on the ground, only to find a crater entrenched in the concrete. "Dang it! I missed!" He looked ahead to see the blur making a U-turn back in his direction.

"Looks like this isn't going to be easy…" The tiny defender held his arm outwards as he released a barrage of energy pellets in the smear's path.

*PEW! PEW! PEW!*

"Then again, when is it ever easy?"

The cerulean flash nimbly dodged between each of Dipper's blasts, never once decreasing as it continued blazing down the road. Before the boy even realized he missed a second time, the menace collided into him, sending Dipper spinning to the ground as it sped away. Left dizzy by the encounter, he clutched the sides of his head to keep the world from whirling uncontrollably before his eyes.

"Urgh…" Dipper let out a sickly groan, "It felt like being hit by a hurricane! That thing is like a hundred times faster than that _red-horned robot guy_ from before!" The humming quickly returned, letting him know that the entity was coming back for a third time. Dipper forced himself to his feet and twirled to his left, seeing that the azure flare was aimed straight at him.

"I got to nail this guy now, or else, it'll tear a hole through me…"

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His arm came back through his arm cannon. The augmented ear holes on his curved helmet allowed him to better judge the distance between him and his foe. Dipper could hear the countless sounds that it made as it traveled at alarming speeds: the rattling of the earth as it passed by, the swooshing of the plant life being throttled by the blast, as well as an unusual clicking sound…

In his self-induced darkness, Dipper pulled his arm back, and using his instinct, threw his fist towards the source of the noise with all of his strength.

*KRAK!*

The sound of cracking, twisted metal made Dipper open his eyes. The blur was thrown into the air, sparking and flicking before forcing itself to a complete stop. The boy squinted in disbelief the enemy's true form, "What in the world?"

His pursuer appeared to be a thin, blue robot. Its skull was made up of navy-colored fins, resembling a form of solid pointy hair. A pair of triangular yellow ears stuck out of the sides of its forehead. Pitch black eyes with laser-red pupils stared deep into Dipper's soul. A pure silver mouth showed no emotion, rounded off by a needle-tipped nose on the front.

A simple cobalt, hallowed sphere served as the robot's chest. A green, triangular emerald was latched into the front side, leaving Dipper to wonder if it served as a possible power source. The back end exhausted a small, yet powerful rocket blast, allowing the robot to hover in mid-air. Its limbs were made of slender, yet sturdy titanium rods. Metal paws with razor-sharpen blades served in lieu of hands. Rounded red and white ovals were welded to the bottoms of its legs, reminding Dipper of iron-casted sneakers.

"Call me crazy," Dipper mulled over, "_But with the spikes all over and everything, this guy kinda looks like a metallic hedgehog…_"

The robot conked its neck loudly until it was forced back straight. With its original stance restored, the machine looked down upon Dipper, placed a clawed hand against its side and raised the index finger of its other hand. It waggled the digit back and forth in Dipper's face as it let out a series of mechanical clicks and unintelligible gabbles, showing its displeasure in being socked in the head.

"Hey!" Dipper pointed back at the villain, "Don't wave your finger at me, pal! Besides, you started it!"

Growing irate by his response, the metal threat made fists and shook them in anger. The jewel embedded in its chest started to glow brightly. The surge of jade energy grew larger as time passed.

"Ohh…that can't be good…"

*POOOSH!*

The energy ball has hurled towards Dipper. He narrowly ducked out of its path and immediately returned fire. The swift baddie evaded the blast and released two more shots within mere seconds.

*POOOSH! POOOSH!*

Dipper jumped back to elude the second green glow. The third homed in on him, forcing him to raise his arm blaster and shoot at the last moment.

*KA-BOOM!*

The impact sent Dipper flying backwards as lime mists filled the scene. He tried to see his way through the haze, only to see the alloyed porcupine dashing towards him. Dipper crossed his arms and held them up to protect himself. Sparks flew wildly as the automaton clawed at him, forcing his back against a nearby building.

"This is useless!" he lowered his head so it wouldn't be burnt, "My buster's not fast enough to nail this guy. Maybe if I changed weapons…"

With a grunt, Dipper gave a blunt kick to the machine, sending it wheeling head over heels into the distance.

"BUSTER CHANGE – METAL BLADE!"

A shredded gear formed in each hand. Dipper hurled the projectiles at the nuisance, only for the android to shift and twisted its body, almost like it somehow knew where the blades were going to strike.

"Okay, so that didn't work," Dipper despaired, "Umm – Umm, oh, AIR SHOOTER!"

His arm morphed into a turbine, creating a strong current to overtake the metal hedgehog. At first, it appeared to get caught up in the windfall…

"YEAH! It's working!"

All of a sudden, the robot started to increase in speed. A yellowish flame rose up over the enemy's frame as it altered position, burning towards Dipper head first with its arms stretched outwards. Out of reflex, the armored lad hopped into the air, just as the tin hazard slammed on its brakes to avoid slamming into the brick wall. Seeing that his foe stopped momentarily, Dipper thrust his weight back downwards, his blue-gloved fist rocketing towards the earth.

*CRASH!*

Once more, the machine moved out of danger's path, resulting in Dipper plowing his hand through the cement sidewalk. He looked up from the crushed gravel to see the mechanism strafing around him in circles.

"Darn it! It's just too fast! If only I had something just as quick…" The last words triggered his memory, reminding him again of the fallen leader of the Second Numbers. "Wait, that's it! QUICK BOOMERANG!"

His weaponry changed for the third time, as a reddish-pink colored boomerang materialized in his right hand. Dipper chucked it at the artificial mammal, only to see it brought to a stop with an echoing THUNK! As soon as the projectile left Dipper's hand, two more appeared in each palm. Moving at rapid speed, the determined teen unleashed a barrage of blurred arched blades at the bot.

*KLING! KLING! KLING! KLING! KLING!*

The hedgehog was tossed side to side, a string of deepen dents gathering across its blue skin. However, it was able to maintain flight.

"It's working…" Dipper noted, "But it's not strong enough to knock 'em out of the sky..." A new plan speedily began to work its way through his mind, "Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way; I keep trying to go faster than it, when I should be trying to slow things down!"

Dipper clasped his hands together and shut his eyes. Locked in full concentration, he pushed away and shouted to the top of his lungs, "TIME STOPPER!"

*FLASH!*

When the boy reopened his eyes, he discovered that the world instantly came to a complete stop. The chaos of the outside world had gone silent. The unrelenting overcast blocking the sun from the sky froze in place. Dipper looked up to see that his newest nemesis remained stuck in mid-air as a result of being trapped in time itself.

The slow-placed ticking sound came forth, serving as a reminder that his time was limited. Without wasting another moment, Dipper rushed towards the robot and gripped its slender ankles. He yanked the metal hedgehog out of the sky and repeatedly smashed its thin form against the sidewalk. Bits and pieces of indigo coating flew everywhere as the frantic boy continued his onslaught.

*TICK – TICK – TICK…*

As the passing of time returned to the universe, Dipper slumped to the ground exhausted as he overlooked the robot's current state. Its body was left mangled and caved in beyond repair. Its head and limbs sprouted over wildly as it seemed to short-circuit, letting out a succession of sparks every so often. The rocket on its back end shortly fizzed out to nothing more than a few black fumes.

Dipper nudged the wreck with his boot, making sure that it was fully incapacitated. The android didn't move an inch on its own, giving a sense of relief to his overwhelmed psyche. With his strength gathered, he rose up and made his way down the block, passing a local garage around the corner.

A contorted sequence of electronic twaddle was growing louder from behind him. Dipper spun around to see the wrecked automaton flying towards him at top speed, a red hue spread across its warped remains as a pulsating, electric force field surrounded it.

At the last second, Dipper sidestepped out of the path of destruction as the barely-functioning machine collided into the garage's shutter with full force. It remained pinned within the steel door, twitching and jolting in the throes of death.

"Huh…" Dipper shrugged his shoulders, barely surprised by the sudden kamikaze attack, "_Gotta go fast_, I guess…" He circled around the damaged machine and raised his hand to his chin in thought, "Hmm…it's technically a complete robot…." Dipper reached out towards the foe, "I wonder what kind of power I can take from you…"

*KA-BOOM!*

The metal hedgehog exploded before Dipper could lay his fingertips on it, leaving him with nothing more than a face-full of smoke and a body covered in soot. He coughed out the pollution, waving away the smog from his personal space, "Err…never mind, I guess…"

Dipper resumed his original course, only to hear someone crying out in the distance. The sensors in his ears could make out a series of grunts and groans over the layers of shrubbery at the edge of town. At first, he went to ignore the noise, figuring that the sooner he'd reach the Arcade, the faster all of this would go away. As he stepped around the corner, he paused, as thoughts of the kind-hearted doctor flooded his mind. What would have happened if he merely went on his way then? The words of the _Slaughterhouse_ Mask weighed heavily on his heart; what if another innocent person was in jeopardy because of something he inadvertently let happen?

He gritted his teeth in guilt and self-annoyance as he departed towards the sound of distress. Dipper pushed his way through the thick bushes and greenery, jogging past the numerous trees that blocked his path. A few moments later, Dipper found himself overlooking a small, yet secluded field just outside of town. He could see two hulking figures duking it out; their battle cries and roars grew louder and more intense with each blow traded. The shorten explorer hid behind the nearest hedge, peering out of the center to view the mêlée unfurling before his eyes.

_"I…I can't believe it!"_

One of the fighters was none other than the world warrior turned scoundrel Rumble McSkirmish. Much to Dipper's surprise, he appeared to be in perfect fighting condition; a vast difference from the last time the boy had spotted him, after being sucker-punched by the King of Thieves back in the gaming universe. The muscle-bound pixelated fighter was locked in mortal combat with some sort of bicephalous monster that Dipper had never seen before.

"Huh? Who is that guy? He's not one of the _Fight Fighters_…"

Rumble's opponent was _a gigantic two-headed cyclops with sickly-gray skin. Each head was complete with twin dagger-like horns sticking out of the forehead and matching demonic, glowing-red eyes. Their boar-like snouts bled liquefied pixels instead of plasma. Dual fangs poked out of the lip-less mouths. Luxurious, golden-looped earrings hung from their elven-like pointed ears_. The twin craniums bobbed and moved on their own accord, snapping and biting at the kung-fu master.

The heads shared _an extremely built, yet heavily scarred muscular torso. Its left arm sported a heavy wooden billy club decorated with deadly spikes. Oddly enough, its lower half consisted of arched, fluffy goat legs, ending with black cloven feet. _

Dipper studied the fiend in absolute horror, "It's like a mish-mash of every mythological creature all rolled up into one…"

Rumble planted his legs and gathered his chi. He rushed towards the ogre and started to pummel his hardened fists against the beast's chest. It stumbled back as the warrior increased his offensive. The twin eyes of the cyclops shone as it threw its body back and released an echoing snarl. It grasped its mace tightly and swung it towards Rumble, sending the smaller challenger flying. The savage chuckled as it patted the pointy weapon against its open hand.

"Heh…_C-C-C-Combo Breaker_…"

Pushing himself up from the ground, Rumble wiped the mixture of saliva and soil away from his mouth, _"A winner doesn't lose…"_ He shouted to the top of his lungs as he pointed at the monster, _"And I don't lose!"_

Enraged at his rival's persistence, the cyclops lowered its heads and breathed a column of fire towards him. Rumble connected his wrists together, pulled his arms back, and threw them forward.

"FIREBALL!"

A colossal explosion forced Dipper to turn his head away from the battlefield. When the dust settled, he glanced back to see that the pugilists fought back, in spite of lack of sight, leading their way to victory through pure killer instinct.

After a self-imposed stalemate, they parted, only for Rumble to attempt to gain the upper hand with a continuous airborne roundhouse kick. The leviathan was pushed away, as it started to kick and stomp one of its cloven legs furiously, as if it was going to charge straight ahead.

Dipper raised an eyebrow as the creature remained stationed in place, "What's it doing?"

Seconds later, he started to notice that all of the cuts, scrapes, and bruises started to disappear from the beast's body. A thin, yellow aura formed around its gigantic frame.

"_It's healing itself_!" Dipper looked back at his one-time favorite _Fight Fighter_. "Rumble's strong, but can't fight forever! He has to finish this now, or else, that thing's going to overpower him!"

Apparently, the beefy karate expert thought the same way. As an orange energy barrier surrounded him as his dotted black eyes turned pure white. His dirty blonde hair rose up to a fine point.

"Uh oh!" Dipper recognized this from when he was given the pounding of a lifetime by the hulking brute. "This isn't going to be pretty…"

Rumble rushed towards the cyclops, dodging the various projectiles thrown at him. He drew his arm back as it started to flash brightly…

"UPPERCUT!"

The behemoth was launched into the air. Rumble followed it into the sky, and as soon as he was lined up with the ogre, plunged his flame-colored fist into its mid-section.

"DOWNER-CUT!"

The cyclops came hurtling down into the earth, created a small cave-in beneath its massive body. It started to spasm wildly, its arms and legs flailed every which way. Dazzling crimson bolts of lightning overcame its body as the gray skin grew a blood red. Unexpectedly, the monster's head exploded as thick liquid magma flowed from its neck. The remainder of the body fell silent before melting into a puddle of rainbow-colored pixels.

"WHOA!" Dipper accidentally exclaimed out loud. He promptly covered his mouth, hoping that he didn't alert the enormous game character to his presence.

Rumble froze in mid-step, his senses set to high alert by the cry. Without warning, he spun around and shoved an open palm into the distance, sending a green fireball in Dipper's direction. The metal-suited boy dove out from his hiding place just before it was turned to ashes. As he collected himself, a huge shadow was cast over him. Dipper looked up to see Rumble looming before him with a cocky smile on his two-dimensional face.

"What's this?" he asked, cracking his knuckles, "A new challenger appears?!"

Dipper waved his arm, "Rumble! Rumble, wait!" He thought of removing his helmet, and the suit complied, digitally scaling back the headgear until his curly brown hair became visible. "It's me! Dipper!"

The warrior's unpatched eye widened at the sight of his one-time foe, "Huh?! Little-boy-who-fights-like-a-girl?! But…" He leaned side to side, trying to gain a better look at Dipper's current condition, "…it cannot be! Your power levels are vastly higher! They're over _nine-thousand_!"

"Right, right, about that…" Dipper rolled his eyes, somewhat annoyed by hearing the overplayed internet meme for the millionth time. "There's actually a funny story about that…" He stood up and dusted himself off, "But what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back in the _Fight Fighters_ machine?"

"I am not sure," Rumble replied with his broken "Engrish" accent, "I was fighting against the strongest fighters that the Soviet Union had to offer when a bright light blinded me! I awoke in this world, surrounded by the worst villains the gaming worlds had to offer!"

The burly brawler pounded his bare chest with a sense of pride, "I am bound by honor not to let these threats take over an innocent planet!"

Dipper found himself baffled. _"Wait, so he wants to be a good guy again?!"_

"Hold on," Dipper took a careful step further, "Are you saying that you wanna help save this world?"

"But, of course! It is my duty as a dedicated hero to do so!"

The thirteen-year-old couldn't believe it! This sounded like the Rumble McSkirmish that he grew to love as a child, before his switch to a treacherous kidnapper.

"Say, Rumble," Dipper prided, "This may sound crazy, but…what do you say to…" He winced a little, expecting his offer to be rejected, "…some type of _team-up_…?"

"What an idea!" The strapping fighter slapped Dipper on the back, unintentionally knocking him to the ground again. "Together, we can easily overthrow the forces of darkness!"

Dipper shakily made it to his feet, "You – You really think so?"

"Why, yes! We will conquer every wicked wrongdoer out there!"

"Yeah?"

"The blameless townsfolk will have nothing left to fear from this menace!"

"Yeah!" Dipper's confidence grew with each retort; his usual sense of mistrust was being replaced as he geeked out.

"And we will find your freckled-faced ginger princess!"

"Yeah! Wait? _Wendy?! _ You mean Wendy, right?! She's _alive?!_ How do you know that? Did you see her?"

Rumble let out a hearty laugh, "I can sense her power levels! _Amazing such power comes from a girl so thin…_"

"Okay!" Dipper went on, excited by his video game fantasies coming to life, "We find Wendy, and then?"

"And then," Rumble answered, as a dotted, blocky smile appeared on his marked face, "I drain every ounce of power from her body!"

The grin was instantly wiped off of Dipper's face, _"W-What?!"_

"All of her strength will be added to my own!"

"Rumble!" Dipper objected, "You can't be serious! I mean, _that's insane!_" He pulled at his hair, "And here…and here, I got caught up with all of this, and I thought you've actually changed! How could I be so stupid?"

The digital character finally understood that his cohort was less than pleased with his announcement, "What?! You said you wanted to help save this place! Once again, you have betrayed and deceived me, seconds after our "team-up!"

Dipper pulled away from the angry fighter, his arm cannon started to charge until it turned a neon-yellow-green, "That doesn't make sense, but either way, I can't – _I won't_ let you hurt Wendy!"

His heart raced with every passing second, _"The least I can do for her is keep this psycho as far away as humanly possible…"_

Rumble placed his fists against his hips and mockingly chortled at Dipper's protective measures, "You dare to challenge me? Perhaps Rumble hit you so hard you forgot what happened last time."

Dipper's stomach churned as he recalled the despairing memory. "Things will be different," he thought, noting the special abilities the blue armor gave him. _"They have to be different…"_

Before he knew it, Rumble sprinted towards him, ready to attack, "FIREBALL THROW! LIGHTNING-BALL THROW! FIRE!" He let another flaming attack flow through his conjoined hands.

"AHH!" Out of reflex, Dipper swiped away the fireball with his free hand just before it struck his body. The projectile ricocheted from his glove into a nearby tree, splitting the mighty oak into two. He turned back towards his aggressor with a new mindset as a small, self-assured smirk formed.

"WHA?!" Rumble could only gaze at the destruction in disbelief. "An _omega counter_?! But how?!"

Dipper pointed his blaster at his opponent, "My turn!"

"KA-WHOOSH!"

A fully-charged shot struck Rumble square in the chest, sending the mighty giant to the ground back-first. With an irritated growl, he flipped back on his legs, and resumed his fighting pose. The champion rubbed his redden, burnt pecs. "Impressive…but you'll need more than that to win!"

Dipper focused his strength on his arm-gun, readying another attack. Knowing that Wendy's life was on the line (yet again), he was prepared to give his all from making matters worse. His helmet automatically covered his head, as if it was aware that a battle for about to start. He squeezed his hands into tightened fists, "Let the games begin…"

Simultaneously, the two raced towards one another. Rumble opened with a chain of rapid-fire punches. To avoid them, Dipper slid between his legs, and sprung up on the other side. The confounded brute spun around to see his little adversary bending down in preparation of his next attack.

"MEGA UPPERCUT!"

The young detective delivered a glowing sapphire fist to the warrior's mug, sending him high into the sky. As Dipper gave chase into the atmosphere, he wondered where the sudden thought of naming his surprise attack came from; it was as like a part of him already knew the proper terminology, like _a similar scenario had happened before in a different time and place._

Once he was above the ground, Dipper flew up next to Rumble. The rivals traded punches and kicks, until the blue speck clenched his fists together and held them over his head. Dipper threw his arms downwards, sending Rumble rocketing towards the dirt. The youngster landed nimbly on his booted feet as the video game anti-hero pushed himself up from the ground.

"Very impressive," Rumble complimented as the dust flowed from his pixel-made body. "You have acquired new moves since the last time we fought…" The red essence quickly made its return, completely engulfing the martial artist. "But you are not the only one to do so!" Within seconds, Rumble hopped from a kneeling position and punched the earth with a thunderous blow, "GROUND ROCKET PUNCH!"

Dipper was caught off-guard as a layer of the ground rose up and knocked him off his feet. The back of his head thwacked roughly against the solid floor. Luckily, his helmet protected him against serious injury. Before he could recover, Dipper felt something latch onto both of his thighs. A second later, he was hoisted off the floor and into the air. Nausea rapidly grew in the pit of his stomach as he was spun around into countless circles.

"HHEEEYYYY! Put me *BURP!* down!" Dipper belched sickly.

"As…you…wish!" Rumble let go of the tiny boy, sending him soaring into the distance, "HERCULEAN DISCUS THROW!"

"AHHH!" Dipper shrieked, waving his limbs helplessly as he was hurled through the air. He painfully skidded against the green-filled ground, spitting out leaves and blades of glass that ended up in his mouth. The constant *THUD* stemming from vast footsteps nearby alerted Dipper that his enemy was approaching. He rose up, his sights set down of the barrel of his blaster, only to find himself all alone in the secluded woodlands.

"Huh?!" Dipper twirled around on his heels, looking for anything out of the ordinary, "Where'd he go?!"

From out of the distance, a distorted shadow tore towards him. The teen could notice two red eyes watching him from within the darkness.

"INSTANT DEMON TELEPORT!"

Rumble materialized from the depths before him. The fighter jumped off the ground and gyrated around in a repeating loop.

"TYPHOON ROUNDABOUT KICK!"

A frenzy of smeared feet continuously smacked Dipper in the face, tossing him back and forth before his legs merely gave out. He raised his head, his swollen cheeks throbbing, to see Rumble standing over him with his hands on his hips, mockingly laughing at his opponent's collapse.

_"This is getting me nowhere…"_ Dipper noted. _"I can't afford to let him beat me again; if not for my sake, then for Wendy's!"_ He made it up to one knee, _"It may not make it a fair fight, but I gotta do anything I can to win!"_

Rumble's face dropped as he noticed the small child in front of him beginning to morph. An instant later, half a dozen razor-tipped gears appeared in between Dipper's fingers. He lifted his head and flashed a devlish smile.

"BUSTER CHANGE – METAL BLADE!"

Dipper flicked his hands, sending the pointy cogs towards the hulking villain. Rumble raised his mighty arms to protect himself as the blades cut into his digital flesh, sending sprays of pixels fluttering. He peeked out from his shelter to view the collateral damage, "UH-HUH?!" The combatant pointed at Dipper, after plucking a Metal Blade from his shoulder, "What is this? You are not following the way of the warrior!"

"Rumble…" Dipper murmured, shaking his head as he began to summon another weapon, "We are _wwwwaaaaayyyyy _past _that_…QUICK BOOMERANG!"

The armored detective shot two boomerangs at Rumble, each one pinning a shoulder against a tree. Rumble tried to pull and tug his lumbering biceps loose, as Dipper switched equipment for a third time, "CRASH BOMBER!"

A series of flashing, blinking drills were lunged around the woodwork where Rumble was trapped. "AHA! Puny runt believes he can defeat me with shiny objects?! HAHA! You are surely mistaken!"

Dipper simply crossed his arms and waited for time to pass, "We'll see…" knowing that his enemy was unaware that the flashing became faster and brighter…

*KA-BOOM!* *KA-BOOM!* *KA-BOOM!* *KA-BOOM!* *KA-BOOM!* *KA-BOOM!*

The explosions rocked the earth around them, making several of the surrounding trees give way. Layers of dust and wood particle sprung up with every new fall. For some reason, Dipper instantly was reminded of Wendy's father, "Heh…I wonder if Manly Dan would be proud…"

A boisterous yell filled the empty natural setting as a huge form flew out from the dirt-cloud. Rumble, with enormous timber in hand, flung the log straight at Dipper in hopes of squashing the thirteen-year-old like a bug.

"ATOMIC FIRE!"

With one touch from his gloved fingertip, Dipper instantaneously reduced the heavy object to mere cinders. He looked up at the still-airborne Rumble, who could only stare at the small wonder in disbelief.

"AIR SHOOTER!"

With his now-fan-like arm, Dipper heaved the Fight Fighter against the nearest tree, watching as Rumble painfully slid down the redwood, breaking several branches as he fell to earth. The game character huffed and puffed as his body began to quiver uncontrollably.

_"This is…not over!"_ He flipped on his feet, _"I will not be beaten by the likes of you!"_ His singular eye turned a cloudy white as he flexed, causing lightning bolts to travel across his body. He strained as he shouted to the sky, "FIST – PUNCH – RAIN!"

The atmosphere began to pour purple and pink pixel fists! They smashed against the innumerable trees in the woods, causing them to bend or cave in. Dipper remembered exactly how agonizing the attack was when it was unleashed on him (and poor Soos who was on the sidelines) last time.

"LEAF SHIELD!"

Rumble found himself flabbergasted as Dipper stepped forward, a group of nearly two dozen metal leaves endlessly encircled his shorten form, protecting him from the attack raining overhead. As soon as the stream passed, Dipper threw his hand out, sending the jagged foliage towards Rumble. They grazed his 16-bit skin, making him groan and cry out.

"ENOUGH!"

Fully enraged, Rumble threw his arm into the air as thunder filled the heavens. Lightning struck his hand, filling it with a blinding blue energy. Dipper stepped back as he started to flashback to how their last encounter ended, _"It's his finisher! The Super-Power-Ninja-Turbo-Neo-Ultra-Hyper-Mega-Multi-Alpha-Meta-Extra-Uber-Prefix Combo!"_ I didn't stand a chance against it last time…"

The blue glow spread around Rumble's body as it continued to grow and spasm violently. He was almost at full charge!

Dipper looked down as his blue-gloved hands balled into fists as thoughts of his redheaded crush came to mind, "Still, I have to try…_for her sake!"_

The boy entered a fighting stance as Rumble screamed, charging towards him at full blast. Dipper galloped as he could, drawing a fist backwards as he charged into the fray. With each dueler filled with energy, the two lounged at each other, their fists meeting dead-on…

*KA-BOOM!*

A fist-shaped mushroom cloud appeared over that isolated section of the Gravity Falls Forest. A huge crater had been left in the center of the wooded area. Rumble had been thrown against the ground, only to wind up leaning against one of the few trees that remained standing. Feeling completely weakened, the pugilist held a hand in front of his face. It appeared to be blurry, reverting to a blocky pixelated state. He was fluxing out of reality.

In the distance, Rumble could observe a shining, blue light hidden amongst the mist. Dipper Pines stood triumphant along the tree stumps. He was bruised, his titanium suit had been dented and scratched, but _he was the one left standing_. The teenager walked slowly towards his fallen foe, a grim and serious expression was set over him.

"Remarkable…" Rumble choked out as a somewhat satisfied smile spread across his scarred face, "It has been a long while since I have been given such an exciting, yet humbling battle…" He leaned back further against the tree, making it slant even more so. "I yield, young one, only in hopes of being able to challenge you again in order to test your limits!"

Dipper's arm cannon gave off a *WHHIRRRRLLLL!* sound as it started to glow a bright neon-yellow and green. "Sorry, Rumble, he said as stuck the blaster directly at the downed warrior, "_But there isn't going to be a rematch ever again!"_

Rumble seemed surprised by the victor's reaction, "What are you doing?! I have already conceded! You have won the match!"

"This isn't about some stupid match!" Dipper exclaimed, holding his buster firmly with his free hand. "This! All of this mess is your fault as much as it is mine! You are the one who originally broke the seal between the two worlds! And for what?! For petty revenge!"

"But a warrior's code…"

"SHUT UP!" Dipper drew closer, "I'm so sick and tired of hearing about your stupid code of honor when you seem to do anything but! I know I lied to you about Robbie, but I already owned up to it, Rumble! And yet, you won't let it go! Worse, you involve innocent people who have nothing to do with this whole thing! Like my sister! Or Wendy! _Especially Wendy!_ Even now, you still want to drain her life force so you can switch places in reality with her!" Dipper held the nozzle right in Rumble's face, "I can't let you do this anymore, Rumble. So, I'm going to do what I should have a long time ago: I'm _going to end it here and now!"_

Rumble held his hands up in surrender, "You may be right on a lot of those things, wise one. But you are mistaken on one count. I do not wish to absorb the _red-headed princess_ out of vengeance. Rumble must do so because there is no other way!"

A sense of hesitance started to form in Dipper's psyche, "What do you mean? No other way to do what?"

Rumble began to explain, "My goal in this "real world" is to challenge the wicked Emperor of Darkness and return things to the natural order. However, at my current state, we would been evenly matched, resulting in a stalemate. Only the girl has the amount of energy needs to give Rumble the edge to vanquish the evil one and save our worlds!"

"No, no!" Dipper shook his head, "I don't…I don't buy it. You're telling me that the only way to save Gravity Falls is for me to let you take Wendy's essence and use it to beat this guy?!"

"I know it may be hard to accept," Rumble sympathized in between coughing jags, "But such trials are part of the hero's way of life. _A true hero knows that sacrifices must be made in order to protect the greater good!"_

_"Greater Good?!"_ Dipper questioned as something started to linger at the back of his mind, "But that doesn't make it right, Rumble! _Even if everything counts on it, you can't just destroy a person's entire life in order to stop…the…bad…guys…."_

Dipper's voice slowed to a crawl as a sense of overwhelming guilt and sadness overtook him. As if by magic, he was whisked away from the aftermath of the carnage-filled battlefield to a gentle and peaceful green plain. The stars decorated in the twilight hanging overhead let him know that it was nighttime.

"I know this place…" Dipper looked around for an answer to the anomaly. A ruined red luxury car sat in the middle of the field. A dirt trail leading off the edge of a nearby cliff alerted him to how it arrived at that spot. A beat-up gray "shag van" was parked behind him as gentle weeping could be heard coming from the driver's seat.

_"I'm back at Lookpoint Point…" _

"Are you serious?! Right now?!"

Dipper turned around to see a tall, slender shape forming out of the vapor. He knew the deep, yet sweetened voice anywhere.

_"Wendy…"_

The lumberjack-dressed girl clenched her stubby hands in frustration as she looked down at her young charge. A layer of tears started to gather around her emerald eyes as she opened them. Her freckled face offered a mere reflection of her disappointment in her friend's choice words.

_"Ugh! What is wrong with guys?!"_ Seeing the scene replay itself in his mind's eye, Dipper noticed that for a split moment, Wendy focused away from the scene to him alone as her brow softened. The anger seemed to fade away from her, only to be replaced with a brief expression mixed with sadness, loneliness, and despair. _"You only think about yourselves!"_ The outrage quickly returned, in spite of the teardrops flowing down her cheeks. Her eyebrows lowered once more as she pointed down at him, _"All of you should just leave me alone!"_

With that, Wendy covered her face, trying her best to hide her emotions from the rest of the world as she ran into the darkness of the Gravity Falls Woods.

"Wendy, wait!" Dipper wanted to call out to her. He wanted to tell her that he was sorry for crossing an invisible line between them. He wanted to tell her that things would be okay. He wanted to ask if he (and Stan) could give her a ride to ensure she made it home safely.

_But he didn't…_

Instead, for the second time, the boy stood speechless, lost and confused in his own thoughts and feelings, partially unaware of what had exactly happened seconds ago. He had finally saved his damsel from her treacherous and deceitful gothic boyfriend, bringing their secret feud to a justified end, and yet, she chose to rush into the depths of the forest to deal with her pain instead of into his awaiting arms. Wasn't coming to the rescue and winning the fight enough for her?

As Dipper remained by himself on the highlighted section of the hillside, Grunkle Stan and Robbie seemingly frozen in time and space, he could make out an echo replaying over and over again. It was the sound of his own voice as he argued with his twin sister Mabel:

_"But, I had to stop him, Mabel! It was for the greater good! Sure, I know it made Wendy mad, but at least she's safe…"_

_"Robbie may have broken Wendy's heart, but you're the one that made her cry. What does that tell you?"_

The image of his redheaded crush turning around to meet him reran its course. Her green eyes were bone-dry until he opened his mouth about his impromptu bowling invitation, his appalling attempt to pretend nothing important had just happened. Dipper was brought to a horrific conclusion as he sank to his knees in desolation:

_"What have I done?!"_

At long last, Dipper Pines finally understood the lesson that the entire universe had been trying to tell him time after time. It took seeing a parallel through his once-favorite-video game character for him to realize the true consequences of his choices that fateful night.

"I get it…" His orange, blue and grey outfit was again replaced by the solid blue armor that seemingly weighted him down on the ground, "_I finally get it now_….they were all right…Mabel, the Mask, those demon guys in my nightmare; _all of this is my fault_. I said I went to Lookout Point that night to save Wendy, but I wanted…I wanted to get rid of Robbie even more…"

He raised his gaze to the stars as he persisted in his confession, "And when everything was said and done – _when I actually had a chance to save Wendy in the way that she needed to be saved_ – I…I ignored her. I could care less about her wants and needs, or how this whole thing affected her. All I did was gloat with Stan about how I stopped Robbie. I didn't even bother to ask if she was alright…"

Dipper lowered his head as the guilt came to a head, "Wendy has every right to hate my guts. That stupid mask was right – _I really am a bad guy…_"

Suddenly, a loud karate cry bought Dipper back to reality. A large, pixelated fist was inches from his face. In response, the super-powered lad grasped the mighty limb with his free hand and hurled its owner roughly downwards, creating a string of cracks along the earth. He found himself holding his trusty buster over the face of a shocked Rumble McSkirmish.

"WHAT?!" Dipper barked, his mind and heart set aquiver by his inner revelation, "You DARE try to cheap shot me?!" As he was about to pull the trigger to end the gaming threat, the voice of his newest mentor called out to him:

_"All great heroes are led through what lies in their heart…"_

The hand squeezing Rumble's fist shook ferociously as Dipper lowered himself to meet the stunned warrior face-to-face. "Listen to me, Rumble," he hissed through grit teeth. "This is the only time I will say it: stay away from my friends, my family, and most importantly, my girlfr – err…my best fri – err…_my Wendy_, or I promise you, I will blast you apart pixel brick by pixel brick. This is my mess, and I'll be the one to clean it up – without hurting her in the slightest. Do you understand me?!"

The defeated brute simply closed his eyes and nodded in agreement. Disgusted, Dipper threw the seized arm down as he walked over the colossal yellow-shaded body. As he reached the edge of the woodlands, a new, yet scrambled message displayed itself:

**"WEAPON GET – UXPEOHVULGLFXORXVOBPDVVLYHFRPER – DATA ERROR!"**

"Huh?!" Dipper slapped the side of his helmet, "Oh, come on! Don't tell me this thing broke during the fight!" After a few well-adjusted knocks, the note disappeared from his consciousness. "That's better!"

Rumble looked up from the ground to see his victorious opponent disappear from sight, heading back towards Main Street in downtown Gravity Falls. The fallen fighter lowered his head and chortled, "With that child leading the way…just maybe, this world still has a chance…"


	15. Chapter 14

_"The gnashing teeth and criminal tongues  
>conspire against the odds.<br>But they haven't seen the best of us yet…"_

"This is Gospel," by Panic! At The Disco

**Chapter 14 – Mirror Match**

Wendy slid through the opening of the Gravity Falls Woods leading from the Mystery Shack. She crept very gracefully from each hiding place, knowing that a threat from the gaming universe could be upon her at any given second.

"Ahup! Ahup! Ahup! Ahup!" The redhead nimbly flew from tree to tree, grunting nervously with each movement until she reached the edge of Downtown Gravity Falls. It would be a few moments before she made to Main Street, and from there, the Arcade. Only then, she would have a chance at sever the link between worlds and hopefully return things to how they were before.

Even though the girl wouldn't openly admit it, Wendy knew that a huge weight would be lifted from her shoulders if she was to come across her pint-sized friend along the way; even if they weren't able to find a middle ground between them, the knowledge that Dipper was alright would suffice for the moment.

Just as Wendy started down the boulevard, an odd sight above forced her back alongside the nearest wall. She looked up to the sky to see what was passing over her.

A squadron of 8-bit creatures hovered around the perimeter as if in a form of patrol. Wendy squint her eyes in disbelief, "I might be seeing things, but those guys look like giant bugs from down here!" The aircrafts reminded the fifteen-year-old of _monstrous versions of butterflies, bumblebees, and dragonflies._

"Weird…they definitely look like something crazy outta some old Arcade game from before I was born…"

To avoid being spotted, Wendy scaled against the wall, choosing to remain in the shadows until she rounded the corner. Once she was out of sight, she sprinted down the street at top-speed.

*KA-BOOM!*

Wendy skidded to a stop as something new appeared over the horizon. In the distance, she could make out a mushroom cloud forming over the other side of the forest that surrounded the town. Oddly enough, the cloud looked like a closed fist rising towards the atmosphere.

"Well, that can't be good…" After taking a second to think about the sight, she realized that something was off, "Wait! That blast came from outside of town! And there's no way the bad guys would be fighting each other, so that leaves…" Her bright-green eyes widened, "DIPPER!"

She could hear a raspy whisper coming from the reserve, "W-Wendy?!"

"Dipper?" From the sound of his voice, the ginger could tell something was awry. She scanned the area, "Where are you?"

The tone cried out once more, "O-Over here! Help me…_please_!"

The panicked pitch made the teen push aside all of her hurt feelings, and charge towards her friend's voice, "Hang on, short stuff! I'm comin'!"

"Wendy! Hurry!"

The armored girl huffed and puffed as she raced down the street. She flew around the corner, totally aware of the slender leg that stuck out of the shadows of the nearest alley.

"OOF!"

*CRASH!*

Wendy was tripped into a pile of garbage cans, sending them flying across the road. She groaned as she grabbed her head, thanking heaven for the protection of her helmet; otherwise, Wendy would have definitely cracked her skull open on the concrete. She looked to her left to see that the impact sent the headgear across the way, just barely out of her reach.

"HAHAHAHA!"

The mocking laughter prompted Wendy to turn around to face her prankster. Dipper Pines stood against the edge of the building with his arms crossed as he looked down on his fallen crush….

_…except Wendy knew it wasn't her Dipper._

His devious smile gave him away. The cashier would recognize that evil grin anywhere. It was the same one flashed towards her as she was begging for her life while trapped on the tracks of the Gravity Falls Rail Yards.

"Kinda ironic, isn't it?" the Dipper-clone stepped forwards her, forcing Wendy to backpedal using her hands, "Less than twenty-four hours ago, you shouted to the world about how much you hated his guts – of how you'd never help him again, and yet, at the first sound of danger, here you are, come a-running, like a mother hen watching out for her babies."

The double shook his head in disbelief, "It's times like these that makes me grateful for _my girl_. Yes, ma'am, none of this messy, petty melodrama between us. _"She did this! He did that!"_ Far too childish for my tastes…"

"But I know the truth!" Wendy protested, "Dipper didn't try to kill me that night! YOU DID!"

"Perhaps, but in the long run, does it really matter?" The replica walked around carelessly, "You already wanted to tear the kid a new one, but you didn't have the stones to do so. You could say that I gave you that tiny extra push to find the courage to go through with it." He raised his hand to his chin, as if to muse his own words, "Why, by some cosmic reasoning, _you should be thanking me for it_!"

"You…YOU LITTLE FREAK!"

Wendy delivered a missile blast right into the doppelganger's chest, sending him smashing into the brick wall behind him. As the fake Dipper slid down the wall, he started to flux in and out of reality. Solid flesh and bone morphed into blurry gaming pixels and back. She sat back and sighed; one more threat had been eliminated and some sort of vengeance had been claimed.

To Wendy's surprise, another series of chuckles rose from her supposedly-defeated foe, making her freeze in shock.

"Surprise, surprise!" he teased, holding his left arm behind his back, "Looks like the kitten's got some fight in her after all!"

The teenager stood up and aimed her gun over the carbon copy. An astonished look formed over his face, "However…"

A plasma blast quickly rushed blast Wendy, narrowly missing her head. She could make out the awful smell of her few singed hairs.

_"Whoa! If I moved the wrong way, it'd tore my top clean off!"_

She glanced down to see that a green-colored arm cannon had emerged from the Dipper replica's left hand. A bright yellow light pulsated within the nozzle.

*WHHIRRRLLL!*

_"You're not the only one with a blaster!"_

Wendy rolled backwards, avoiding the triple shot of energy bursts. She felt something rub up beside her thigh. The orange-red helmet sat at her right side. Just as a fourth shot was launched, Wendy snatched up the headpiece, dodged out of danger's way, and threw the helmet back on.

A lime-green light shined over the Dipper-clone's body as it started to change yet again. Even through the green visor, Wendy had to hold a gloved hand directly over her line of sight in order to see the events happening before her eyes.

_His black sneakers and long white socks morphed into dark green oversized defensive boots that stopped at his kneecaps. The area from his short pants to his orange t-shirt and navy blue vest became a lighter-lime green skin-tight-bodysuit. A dark-shaded "V" outline was placed beneath his neck. His noodle arms were outfitted with the same material, with an olive-colored glove surrounded by golden armbands at each end. The left arm was replaced with rounded cannon, complete with a revving yellow meter at its side._

_His thickly rugged and curly brown hair had disappeared behind a curved green helmet. Gray, speaker-like coverings rested on where his ears would be. A yellow, zipper line came down the center of the headwear, ending at the huge boomerang-shaped insignia embedded in his forehead. A pair of bluish-black shades hid his dark, narrowed eyes, giving off a reflection of the outside world through its lens. The small opening at the bottom of the helmet allowed the false-boy to show off the devilish smile that would be forever burnt into Wendy's mind._

"There…" The newly-armored clone spun around, as if to allow his adversary to take a better look, _"Now, I match your better half…"_

"What do you mean by that?!"

He stopped in mid-place and pointed his cannon in her direction, "Nevermind!" Wendy ducked as the shot went over her head. She dropped to one knee and returned fire, sending a hyper beam blast into the Dipper-double's chest.

"ARRGGGHHH!" He gazed down at his torso, rubbing his free hand against the charred collateral damage, "Not gonna lie; you're got some serious aim, but tell me, _when you release all of that pent-up frustration and anger, are you thinking about me, or him?_"

"Grrr…" In her rage, Wendy chased after the villain, delivering a barrage of rainbow-highlighted discharges in his path, "Take this, you creep!"

However, the green-covered menace agilely evaded each projectile. "HA! Miss me! Miss me! Now, you most definitely gotta kiss me!" Without any effort, the Dipper-duplicate jumped towards the wall of the nearest building and kicked off of it, sending him up and over the rooftop on the other side. He peeked over the edge and wave towards Wendy. "Betcha you can't get me up here, girlie!"

"Come back here, you dweeb!"

_"It's unreal…"_ the redhead thought, "_The real Dipper is lucky if he can catch a baseball without flinching and yet, his clone is dancing Swan Lake around laser beams. Talk about things being messed up!"_

Wendy followed suit, throwing herself against the same brick wall. Pausing for a split-second, she somersaulted to the rooftop and drew her gun, only to find no one else topside.

"What in the heck - ?" Wendy questioned, whirling about in search of her prey. "Where are you?!" Her anxiety grew with every passing second in absolute silence. Beads of sweat rained down her forehead; the heat inside of the clammy armor increased along with her nerves.

All of a sudden, she felt something small yet incredibly heavy cling onto the smalls of her back. Her visor was covered by something dark green, leaving Wendy without a sliver of sight.

"Gotcha!" The shrill, somewhat nasally voice called out amid the darkness it had created. Wendy spun around, completely blinded by her opponent. She pulled at the green-garbed pseudo-boy with no prevail. Her blaster wasn't an option as the ginger feared she might accidentally hit herself with her own lasers.

"HEHE! TAG! YOU'RE IT!" The false Dipper's grip around the orange helmet only tightened.

"GET OFF ME, FREAK!"

"Gee…" the clone warned, "You better watch your step there, Big Red, or else…"

Suddenly, Wendy felt her legs give way. Her vision was returned as the imitation fled from her backside as gravity took control. Wendy turned her head and let out a muffled shriek from behind her mask.

Unbeknownst to her, the facsimile had willing forced the slender girl off of the rooftop! Just as Wendy was about to painfully hit the cement below, a new message flashed in front of her visor screen:

**"GRAPPLE BEAM ACTIVATED!"**

An electric-based wire shot out of her arm cannon and wrapped itself around the lamppost closest to her. As if she was connected by a bungee cord, Wendy bounced up and down in mid-air before starting to circle about the tip of the post.

"WHHHHHOOOOOAAAA!"

After the third cycle around, she let go of the beam, only to head towards the descending, green armored duplicate. Wendy stuck out her leg at the last second, delivering a well-placed kick into the Dipper-clone's side.

"URRRGGGHHH!"

She elegantly landed on her feet as the baddie crashed noisily against the brick wall behind it. It collapsed onto the ground as a few loosen bricks landed on top of his rear. The replica stumbled as he pushed himself upwards. His body shook and wobbled as he came back to a standing position.

The Dipper-copy swiped his arm at Wendy, "I'm done playing around with you!" He pointed to the sky as he called out, "To me, _Sakuagarne!_"

"Sak-u-ga-what?!"

A large shadow swiftly overcame Wendy, prompting herself to look towards the heavens. Something was heading her way! The auburn-haired high-schooler hopped back as the mysterious object nearly clipped her. It sprung off the earth, creating a dent in the solid concrete. The green antagonist jumped into the air, landing on top of the article.

"What is that thing?!" Wendy asked as she backed away warily.

Her opponent has mounted himself on top on what appeared to be _a cross between a pogo-stick and a jackhammer. The red, T-shaped weapon drilled into the ground as it automatically bobbled up and down on its own accord. Dipper's digital clone clutched the handlebars at the very top of the device as his boots rested on the footholds just above its pointed bottom. _

Strangely enough, _Wendy noticed that the machine had a pair of gloomy mechanical eyes implanted its center_. Despite its constant bouncing, the eyes never faltered away from the confused heroine before it.

_"Dude…that thing's so creepy…I wish it wouldn't stare at me like that…"_

The jackhammer skipped forward, making the terrain tremble beneath Wendy's feet. A crack formed from its landing point, making the sidewalk shift and shatter. Forced off balance, Wendy was knocked down to one knee as the machine came closer.

"All right!" She pointed her blaster straight at the hazard, "That tears it!" She charged hyper-powered blast after blast and fired at the pogo-mounted enemy, only to have her shots deflected.

*KLING! KLING!*

"Huh?!"

Not to be deterred, Wendy switched her weapon to the missile launcher. She tightened her grip on the arm cannon, closing an eye to gain a better aim. "Let's see you stand up to this!"

*KA-BLAM! KA-BLAM! KA-BLAM!*

The contraption leapt unharmed pass the smoke causes by the rocket blasts, making Wendy drop her jaw in disbelief, "Oh, come on!" The pogo took another skip towards her, its point digging further into the walkway. The footpath rose up from under her, knocking her to the ground head over heels. As Wendy smacked the floor, she let out a groan as she reopened her eyes, seeing that the living jackhammer was inches away from impaling her with its drill bit.

"BAH!" Wendy eluded the killing stroke, creating a bit of distance between her and the clone. "Shooting at him is getting me nowhere!" she thought. "The only way I'm going to beat him is if I can get him off of that thing!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Wendy spotted a tipped over mail drop box. Due to all of the tremors, its hind legs had been loosened from its original bolted down positioning.

"Hmm…" Using the augmented strength of the yellow and red suit, Wendy reached down and pried the mailbox from its remaining fasts. Hoisting the metallic blue shell from the ground, the lumberjack princess held it back and to her side, similar to how one would hold a baseball bat. With her strength and concentration gathered, Wendy swung at the boy riding atop of the death apparatus with all of her might.

The Dipper-clone flew off of the device, landing roughly on the gravel. He raised his shoulders, "Fightin' dirty, eh? Just who do you think you – "

His sentence was cut off as the jackhammer gyrated out of control. It skipped about of its own accord, until it made its last bound onto the replica's chest.

"AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!"

Wendy turned her head away from the gruesome sight. The sounds of crushing and crackling metal ramming against one another echoed in her eardrums. Although she knew that the creature deserves such a terrible fate, she couldn't bring herself to look, knowing that it shared the spitting image of her younger friend.

After a few moments, Wendy heard the scene grow silent, just before the pogo-jackhammer became motionless, tipping over with a solid *THUD!* She looked back at the carnage that had unfolded before her.

The double lied incredibly still on the cracked pathway. Deep holes and punctures stemmed down his torso. The worse injury was located in the dead center, near his gut, where Wendy could notice several mashed gears and torn wires sticking out of his chest. Electric sparks flashed from the wound every couple of seconds. The red pogo stick became a dark red and teleported itself into the sky, far away from the scene.

"Hehe…" The impersonator coughed, a thin black, oil-like substance dripped out of his mouth and flowing down his chin, "Looks like you got me good there…"

Wendy crossed her arms and listened to the pseudo-boy rattle on, her expression becoming less serious. For some unknown reason, a part of her actually felt bad that things ended in this way, but she chalked it up to seeing Dipper's image in such a plight. "Yeah, looks like it…" she sympathized.

He reached up towards her with a green-gloved hand. His helmet pixelated away, revealing a worn, yet peacefully smiling face. "I know I'm probably the last person that should ask this, but do me a favor, won't 'cha, Red?"

She remained hushed as the clone issued his dying request, "I am my master's creation, but yet, I am still a part of _that little guy_. So, I, *COUGH!* above all others knows what lies in his heart…"

Wendy lowered her brow, "Go on…"

"All I ask is this; the same thing I would ask concerning _my girl_: try to remember that he tries his best, especially when it comes to you, even when he manages to totally screw everything up…"

The fifteen-year-old was left struck for the words uttered. Such were the last things she expected to hear from something she'd considered to be her moral enemy only minutes ago.

"I'll – I'll try…"

The replica lowered his hand and closed his eyes as his grin widened a bit more. His entire body came enveloped with a bright green flash. Wendy covered her eyes as the fallen combatant exploded into countless beams of light that flew out into every possible direction.

*BOOM – BOOM –BOOM –BOOM!*

Wendy looked up from the now-clear spot, the final request still lingering at the back of her mind, as she refocused on her original goal. "Well, that's one copy down…I wonder where the other one is hiding?"

*PAT – PAT –PAT –PAT!*

A strange noise was growing louder from the opposite direction. Wendy looked over her shoulder, towards the other end of the street to see something dashing towards her. She squint her eyes in order to gain a better perspective, "Oh, man!" she exclaimed. "It looks like another one of those robot things is making its way here."

She charged her hyper beam as the new presence was almost upon her.

"Ugh, and it's an ugly _blue_ one, too!"

* * *

><p>As soon as he felt he had put enough distance between Rumble McSkirmish and himself, Dipper darted around the nearest corner and into the following alley. Knowing that he was finally alone, the worn-out boy put his weight against the wall and slumped downwards as he let out an exhausted sigh.<p>

The fight with the world warrior had taken a worse toll on Dipper than he let on. Every joint in his tiny body ached. The azure armor that gave him the superhuman abilities to stand up to Rumble's strongest attacks now weighed heavily on his frame.

"Well, it's not surprising…" Dipper thought, as a weary smile spread across his face, "Countering Rumble's finisher was like punching a lightning bolt head-on! It still feels like my fist is going to turn to dust any second now…"

With the last of his strength, Dipper held out his right arm, and opened his palm. He closed his eyes and concentrated, remembering the last of the gifts given to him by the kindly professor. Within a few seconds, Dipper could sense something forming in his hand. He opened his eyes to see that he now holding one of the thermos-turned-energy tanks.

The thirteen-year-old popped the top of the canister and sipped the beverage. As soon as the citrus-based treat made contact with his taste buds, a surge of power flowed through his veins, slowly restoring his health.

"Well, look at that!" A familiar voice called out from the rooftops, "Slacking off even at the end of the world?"

An excited expression stretched across Dipper's face as he recognized the tone. He raised his head to the sky to see Wendy Corduroy gazing down at him.

"Where have you been?!" Dipper asked, "I've been looking everywhere for you! Are you alright? What happened when – "

At first, the teenager hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary due to the exhilaration of finally locating his missing partner in crime. But after taking a second to study the girl before him, he suddenly spotted _it_. The seemingly-sinister spark in her dark green eyes; the wicked smirk had grown as Dipper came to his senses. He had seen the same look before – just before he almost drowned in the Gravity Falls Lake.

"You're – You're not her – _You're the clone!"_

With an impressed titter, the Wendy-copy jumped from the rooftop, landing inches away from the sitting Dipper. His body quivered in uncertainty as she drew closer.

"True, but does that really matter, Dipper?"

"What – What do you mean?"

"I mean…" the doppelganger explained, "Why would you keep fighting for _her_ when you can be happy with _me_? I would never leave you behind. I would never forsake you for any other boy…." The fake redhead leaned in as her tone grew sultrier, "To me, you would be _my first and only_, and together, we'd rule over this worthless world as royalty."

She backed away and walked around playfully, letting Dipper contemplate her offer.

*WHRRRLL*

The Wendy-replica looked behind her shoulder, "So, whatdya say, kiddo?" She turned around completely, "Will you join me?"

*WHOOSH!*

Before she realized what happened, a Frisbee-sized hole appeared in the clone's mid-section. Multi-colored pixels flashed at the edges of the opening in lieu of blood, bone, and muscle. With a shocked look on her face, the false Wendy glanced down at her torso in disbelief, before returning her sights towards Dipper. His arm cannon was outstretched in her direction; the tip of the nozzle releasing a thin layer of smoke.

"Sorry," he apologized as he maintained his aim, "But I prefer girls from this reality that haven't made attempts on my life!"

Instead of growing angry, the double laughed hysterically. "That's cute. That's real cute! And here I thought that she wouldn't have that much of a hold on you! Boy, oh boy, I bet Wendy would be ever-so-proud of her little lapdog right now!"

Her iniquitous laughter echoed louder in the alleyway as a dark, black substance oozed from her open wound. The liquid speedily spread across her body, covering her entirely from head to toe. Dipper carefully made it back to a standing position as the merriment became muffled from beneath the goop.

Seconds later, the onyx material started to take a harden shape_. A neon black and blue rounded helmet formed at the top of the blob. A light filled, T-shaped visor provided an eager viewing window to the outside world. Circular spheres of the same colors made up her shoulder blades. Oddly enough, each appeared to be blanketed with a patch of day-glo spores. A thinning, yet matching breastplate begat two glowing arms; one ending with a simple gloved hand, and the other becoming a lengthy blaster, similar in nature to the one mounted on Dipper's arm. Two lights poked out of her chest, almost reminding the boy of eerie luminous eyes focusing on him solely. _

The lower half came next, as _two gawky legs launched from the torso. The knees were outfitted in pointed and jagged casings. A pair of glowing, futuristic-looking high-topped boots rounded off the bottom proportion_. As the newly-shaped body finished, it pulled itself backwards as it let out a deafening roar. A string of shining lights peered through the shielded flesh as it flexed, completely illuminating the dank passageway.

"WHOA!" Dipper narrowed his eyes, holding his free arm above his face in order to maintain some of his vision, "Is that what she really is – _some shiny black goop?"_

As soon as the light faded, he pointed his blaster at the morphed reproduction and readied another shot. To his surprise, the newly-armored Wendy clone jerked her head up with an inhuman cry. She threw her wrist forward, unleashing a sort of electric beam from her blue and black hand. Before Dipper could respond, he found himself surrounded by the ray, slowly being hoisted in the air.

"Hey! Wait a sec!" he wiggled helplessly above the ground, "What's going on here?!"

Without any effort, his metallic form was hurled from the secluded alleyway and back onto Main Street. Dipper let out a small yelp as he collided with the windshield of a nearby car, instantly shattering it upon impact.

"Ugh…" Dipper slowly forced himself upwards from the recent indent in the hood. He looked ahead to see that the haunting glow was growing closer. Sure enough, his digital opponent followed suit after him. Covered in a creepy blue aura, the Wendy doppelganger flew towards her quarry; her booted feet never once touching the earth. Instead, a cerulean exhaust traced alongside her every movement, literally melting the concrete beneath her.

"Is – Is she radioactive?"

Before the teen could study the scene further, the redhead drew her arm blaster and released a spray of multi-colored goo. Dipper rolled off the automobile at the last second, just as the slime ate away at the thin metal lacing the car. The boy could make out a sickeningly crinkling sound as the gunk eroded itself deeper by the moment.

He prepared his arm gun as its engine started to rev up loudly, "So, I'm going to take that as a "_yes_…""

The fake Wendy launched another onslaught of poisonous shots at Dipper, forcing him to dash under the deadly rainfall. He countered with a shot of his own, only to see it ripple off of her shining body. The slight bit of ooze that was blasted off quickly reformulated. Not to be discouraged, Dipper changed his weaponry and resumed fire. Unfortunately, both his bladed and boomeranged projectiles failed to make an impact against his slippery foe.

"Drat!" Dipper exclaimed, "It's like everything I toss at her goes right through! I can't get anything to stick!" He clutched his buster tightly as he hastily thought of a new strategy. "Maybe I'm not using enough force…"

He raised his arm and switched his equipment, "BUSTER CHANGE – CRASH BOMBER!"

Before the duplicate could react, Dipper hopped around her every possible angle, launching as many of the spiked-tipped explosives into her body. They adhered themselves to the fake, black-suited teenager with a loud "PLOP" sound.

"Yes!" Dipper cheered, "It's working!"

Just before the Wendy-clone could respond with an attack of her own, the blue-covered boy bounced back and covered his face before activating the detonator…

*KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM!*

When the world grew silent and the dust settled, Dipper poked his head up and looked around the scene. All traces of his opponent seemed to vanish from the world, save for the random blotches of neon black and blue that had been splattered about the boulevard.

"Phew…" He wiped the sweat away from his forehead as he rested against a brick wall. "I still can't believe that worked…" With the battle finished, Dipper started to walk back towards his original destination when he stopped in place. The sensors in his ears picked up on an abnormal "squishing" sound. Dipper looked over his shoulder as his brown eyes rose at the sight before them.

The puddles of darkened glop shook and pulsated on their own! Within seconds, they sprung alive, each sloshing towards the center of the street. The countless blobs promptly rejoined piece by piece, growing in mass and height by the moment. Before he knew it, Dipper found himself face-to-face with the transformed Wendy-clone yet again! From beneath her protective, glowing visor, the boy could make out a devilish grin from her freckled face – the very same one that he had grown to admire over the summer.

"This is insane!" Dipper stepped back with his arm cannon still drawn, "No matter what I do, she keeps coming back!"

The double floated in Dipper's direction, only to stop part-way. She charged her gun, but instead of aiming at her shortened target, she thrust her limb deep into the concrete, forcing the ground to crack open in every direction about her. As Dipper tried to figure out what was happening, the floor quaked beneath his feet. Every fracture and open fissure began to glow the same sickly bright green as found in his enemy's weapon.

"What?!" Dipper demanded, trying his best to maintain his balance, "What are you doing?!"

The replica simply raised her helmet, the mixture of Wendy's sweetened tone and the cold soullessness of a machine offered a vague answer from within the dark mouthpiece, "My turn…"

All at once, numerous columns of pure radioactive energy came shooting out of the ground. Cars were filled over and set ablaze. Close-by buildings and apartments were torn into two; their windows shattered, their roofs fully caved in from the overall damage. Lampposts twisted and turned until their metal gave away, ending with their lights breaking into a million pieces over the pavement. Fire hydrants became uncorked, ending up with their watery contents rushing into the sky in sorts of a false rain amongst the gloomy overcast.

"WHA – AH- HEY- WATCH IT!" Dipper jumped from foot-to-foot as he attempted to escape the living fireballs coming from the earth. On his third dodge, his gloved hand accidentally made contact with the blue attack, making him scream aloud in pain. He shoved his arm outwards and shook his injured limb, hoping to shake off the burning sensation that had overtaken it. Dipper looked down at his hand to see the same colored aura as found on the pillars fading away as the seconds passed.

"Hehehe…"

He looked up to see the Wendy-double rotating around in small circles several yards in front of him – baiting him; _teasing him_. Her sights never once waned away from his minuscule form. Her cruel laughter leaving indication that any trance of humanity found in the digital being was surely parting.

_"She's growing more insane by the second!"_ Dipper overlooked the new found damage over him, "_It doesn't matter to who or what gets destroyed – it's all some kind of sick game to her! I've got to stop this now!"_

Dipper charged past the uprising blasts as the Wendy-double skidded to a stop. He yanked his arm back and switched his artillery again, "Maybe I can try to melt her away…"

"BUSTER CHANGE – ATOMIC FIRE!"

With flamethrower fully lit, Dipper pointed straight at his crush's evil twin, and increased the fire's flow from within. Doused from head to toe in flame, the armor soon turned a bright red, identical to that of the blaze. However, her solidity remained the exact same, with no sign of peeling or wear and tear to be found. To Dipper, it was almost like she was _absorbing_ his attack.

"But how?! How is she able to stand up to this?!"

Once more, the pseudo-teen dug her cannon into the damaged sidewalk. A moment later, Dipper began to feel the effect of her attack.

"HOT! HOT! OW! OW! HOT!"

The earth beneath Dipper's feet had turned blistering hot! With his shielded boots offering little protection, the boy detective skipped to one of the few undamaged cars left on the street. He climbed on top of the ruined vehicle for shelter, watching for the sizzling cement to cool before daring to step foot upon it again. The haunting laughter of the doppelganger rang in his ears.

"Well, that went well," Dipper lamented, "But I'm running out of ideas. I doubt freezing time will do any good. Same with making a shield out of metal leaves. The Air Shooter might cool her down, but it's not like I can just whisk her up and away…"

Left with no other option, the ruffled teenager equipped his least-used weapon; _his last likely choice_, took a deep, encouraging breath, and dove off of his safe haven. He lunged towards his antagonist with his buster deadlocked in her direction.

"BUSTER CHANGE – BUBBLE LEAD!"

Dipper let a spray of the acidic solution splashed all over the onyx armored ginger. Seeing this merge, last-ditch attempt, she hurled her neck backwards and released a deep cackle, "Bubbles?! That's your ace-in-the-hole?! I tell ya, kid. I don't understand what why she has much high hopes– "

The mocking stopped on a dime as the Wendy-clone froze in place, "Something's…_Something's wrong_…" She gazed down at her shielded flesh to see that it was now _bubbling_! As time passed, her body shifted and became misallocated. Her arms drooped to an unequal state. Her legs seemed to collapse upon one another.

Dipper let out a small victory chuckle, "Why didn't I think of it before? The solution must be eating away at the chemical compound that makes up her body. _She's literally falling apart!"_

He circled around the liquefying creature as he continued his assault with his bubbly offensive. With each new blow, the armor continued to give way, exposing more of the neon light trapped on the inside.

_"Dipper! Dipper, wait!"_

Grinding to a halt on his heels, Dipper turned around to see that the helmeted portion of the being had disappeared, revealing the image of his beloved auburn-headed main squeeze.

"Please, Dipper!" she pleaded, her voice returned to normal, "Stop! Just stop, okay!" She reached out to him with her dripping, gloved hand, "You win! I give up! I was wrong, okay?! I admit it! You were right! You were right _about everything_! I don't care anymore, just stop, please!"

He walked towards the melting girl, his cannon never leaving her distance, "You're not her…and this isn't what everything's been about. _I know that now…"_

"Fine, Dipper! Okay! Whatever you say – just don't hurt me anymore…" A shine formed in her green eyes, "Just…don't hurt me again – _like last time_…"

Left unhinged by her comment, Dipper lashed forward, releasing another spurt of the Bubble Lead. The Wendy-clone cried out in agony as more of her body sank into itself. She went to slither away in retreat, only to have her escape blocked by the enraged boy, whom delivered another doze of his fatal weapon.

_"Dipper…"_

No matter which way the clone turned…

_"Wait…"_

Dipper was there waiting for her…

_"Don't…"_

Ready to deliver a handful of lead-based vengeance…

_"Please!"_

A pungent stench grew the more the two chemicals mixed. After a while, Dipper forced himself to close his eyes, hoping to avoid seeing the image of his crush dissolving over the streets of Gravity Falls, even though he understood the villain before him wasn't really his Wendy.

"ARRRRGGGHHHHH!"

Dipper opened his eyes to see himself surrounded by steam. He followed it downwards, only to find a sweltering black puddle on the ground. Slowly, but surely, it was dissolving into a bunch of multi-colored pixels before fading away out of existence.

He examined the mess at his feet, wishing to make sure that the battle was truly over. The stew did nothing more than spread further, fizzing all the while.

Satisfied with his answer, Dipper started to pull away when a gloved hand rose up from the ooze, seizing him by the throat. He let out a terrified shriek as an eyeball emerged from the skin on top of its hand, fidgeting and bobbling wildly. The peculiar sight made his screams rise in pitch.

"Well, "_Mister Big Man_,"" a voice within the puddle called out, "Looks like you've gone and done it. Tell me, did you get all of that aggression out of your system?"

Dipper's voice dried up, only to be replaced by a kind of panicked hyperventilating.

"Heck, you're a smart kid. You know what they say about "_Those who fight monsters…"_

Still, Dipper remained silent, trapped in the dying clone's grip, hanging on its every word.

"Hey, short stuff? Let me get you some advice – the least I can do since you won and everything – anyways, if you find a way to get back into _her_ good graces, try not to do anything to screw it up, alright?"

At last, Dipper was able to cough out a response, "B-B-Believe me, I'm _way_ ahead of you on that front…"

Content with his answer, the hand released the blue armor clad boy and sank back into the disbanding solution.

_"GGGGGoooood Boy!"_ she hissed as the last of the pixels evaporated into the air.

_"Then again, you were always one of the good ones…"_

Dipper raised his head to the sky as the threat finally passed away from the real world. Before he had a chance to reflect on what had just happened…

*BOOM – BOOM –BOOM –BOOM!*

An explosion came from the street after next. Choosing not to rest on his laurels, Dipper sprinted down the block and turned the corner to find an unexpected sight.

"Man, you gotta be kidding me!"

At the edge of the street, Dipper could make out another robot-like creature dressed in the same style armor as the Wendy-clone had worn. Instead of being black and somewhat smudge-covered, this particular model appeared to be donning a mixture _of bright red, orange, and yellow. A green visor matched its arm cannon latched to the right hand_.

Without a second thought, Dipper ran down the block, preparing himself for yet another battle, "I wonder how many of these things are out there?"


	16. Chapter 15

_"Leave me alone. God let me go.  
>I'm blue and cold. Black sky will burn.<br>Love pull me down. Hate lift me up.  
>Just turn around. There's nothing left.<br>Somewhere far beyond this world,  
>I feel nothing anymore."<em>

"Dear Agony," by Breaking Benjamin

**Chapter 15 – Beneath These Armors We Keep**

From behind her lime-green visor, Wendy narrowed her eyes at the metallic blue speck dashing towards her.

"What is that thing?" she asked. "_It's wearing the same outfit as Dipper's clone_…" She spotted that this model's helmet was rather opened ended; however, the redhead couldn't get a good look at the face behind it.

Left without any other choice, Wendy pointed her blaster downwards as a hyper beam began to charge in the muzzle of her arm cannon, "Hold it! Freeze right there!"

Dipper, unable to fully hear his friend from behind her headgear, looked up to see that the towering orange, yellow, and red robot aiming straight at him with her cannon fully charged, "Man, it's already rearing to go for a fight…" He proceeded to rev up his own buster with a soft *WHRRRL* sound, "But then again, _what hasn't today_?"

Wendy was surprised that the diminutive dot refused to obey her commands, "I'm not messing with you!" she warned, straightening her arm further, "I swear it!"

Dipper took the motion as a possible act of war, "It's about to fire! I have to counter it before it can attack!"

Without warning, Dipper let his charged shot loose with a *WHOOSH!* Luckily, Wendy slammed on her brakes before he released his buster, having the energized blast fly harmlessly over her right shoulder instead of striking her dead-on. She froze for a split-second in alarm as outrage quickly overtook her.

"Why – you little pest!"

Wendy returned fire immediately, launching a series of hyper beams at Dipper. He ducked and rolled under the lasers with a "WHOA!" only to end up on one knee. The pint-sized warrior issued a second plasma blast at Wendy, forcing her to step to her side to avoid the stream.

"What…" the ginger questioned, "…was…"

"…that?" Dipper shared the same notion, "This one fights different than Wendy's replica; it's a lot faster and less slimy…"

"This guy's more agile and cautious," Wendy noted the change between her green and blue opponents, "The double acted like he could care less if he was hit or not, but this new shrimp's doing anything and everything to avoid my beams. Maybe he's more fragile...?"

The two circled around each other in silence, each waiting for the other to strike. While Wendy definitely had the height advantage and better reach, Dipper's armor was lighter and less bulky, allowing him to move faster without much resistance. They looked back and forth between their shielded faces and their respective weapons, looking for any sign of change; any excuse to begin the melee again.

Suddenly, Wendy's arm cannon started to shift. Dipper noticed that the launch pad widened and spread outwards. His crush lowered her gun-hand, as he saw something poking out of the tip.

"Is that…_a missile_?!"

Before he could react, the deadly projectile came rocketing out of the blaster. Dipper dove to his side, nearly missing the explosive. It exploded with an ear-deafening *KA-BOOM!*, leaving a small, but deep hole in the sidewalk.

"That – that was a close – " His words were cut off as he spotted two more missiles heading in his direction! Using the advanced dexterity given up by the blue armor, Dipper flipped backwards in a reverse-tumble, avoiding the impact of the second rocket by mere inches.

*KA-BOOM!*

He glanced up to see the third missile nearly upon him. Given no time to escape, Dipper focused his energy, lined up his arm cannon with the threat, and closed his eyes before releasing his counter-attack.

*KA-BOOM!*

A thick cloud of smoke filled the scene, preventing Wendy from seeing the damage she had caused, "Did it work? Did I get him?"

Her scanners in the visor weren't able to pick up anything until the fog thinned out. At first, she took the sign of no active life as a victory, meaning that she had successfully eliminated the azure menace. From out of the corner of her emerald eye, Wendy had spotted it: a thinning shadow rose through the smoke to the sky. She gazed up to see Dipper in mid-air, dinged and covered in soot, undergoing some sort of transformation.

"What is he doing up there?"

Wendy watched as the boy's arm cannon reverted back to that of a regular, blue gloved hand. However, a group of razor-tipped gears emerged in each hand.

"BUSTER CHANGE – METAL BLADE!"

"Okay…" the fifteen-year-old bemoaned in disbelief, unaware of what was going to happen next, _"He did not just say all of that!"_

As the undersized teen descended back to earth, he flicked his hands towards the girl, sending the half-a-dozen Metal Blades in her direction.

"Hey! What the heck?! He can make spikes now?!"

Wendy skipped back multiple times as the blades came close to nicking through her booted feet. As Dipper landed safety on the ground, his fist tapping the cracked concrete, Wendy raised an eyebrow in confusion as she wondered about the mysterious assailant before her.

"What in the world is this thing? He's like the "Swiss Army Knife" of killer 'bots!"

Dipper continued his onslaught of flying, pointed cogs at the lumberjack princess, forcing her to jump over the hazard in a single bound. A new strategy came to Wendy's mind, "Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way. I keep trying to overpower him when all I _need_ to do is prevent him from attacking…"

She pulled her arm cannon back and concentrated, allowing her mind to become one with her suit. Her sub-consciousness scanned through her inventory until she found exactly what she had in mind, "…Perfect…" A new message flashed across her visor:

"ICE BEAM ACTIVATED!"

With the new change in her arsenal, Wendy fired the thinning blue-hued laser directly at Dipper's left hand, catching him completely off guard.

"Ugh! My arm!" With great difficulty, the sleuth bought his hand up to face level, revealing that it had been frozen solid in a block of ice. Unexpectedly, Wendy nailed his other arm a second later, leaving both limbs unable to function.

"AHA!" the cashier celebrated, "I knew that'd do the trick! Let's see you make anymore goodies now, blue boy!"

Left nearly powerless in his plight, Dipper went to flee in an attempt to hopefully go free himself. Instead, he found himself fastened to the floor. His eyes moved downward, seeing that his favorite ginger had frozen his feet to the walkway.

"Nope! Sorry, little guy!" Wendy teased, pulling her blaster back as she wagged her metal finger, "But we can't have you hopping about, can we?"

Dipper pumped both legs in vain, hoping that the extra strength given by the suit would be enough to break through the icy barriers securing him firmly. As he was starting to make some progress towards freedom as the frozen columns began to crack, Dipper could feel himself being pelted with the strange ray against his chest. Wendy walked victoriously towards her prey as the mount of ice rose up over his body, leaving only his head exposed to the elements.

As his breath slowed, Dipper's voice dried up, becoming devoid of all sound. He couldn't even plead with his attacker to stop. Just as the ice climbed over his head, he let out a hushed whisper:

"B-B-BUSTER CHANGE –A-A-A…"

Wendy stopped and stared at the android entirely frozen in the huge brick of ice. She overlooked every inch to confirm that all movement had ceased within the square. Content with her handiwork, the lanky girl walked away from the sight as she set out to renew her quest, "Maybe now, I can get back to getting to the Arcade and finding Dipper…"

*KRAK!*

She spun around on her heels as a chill traveled down her backside. All of a sudden, a large, yet thin crack had appeared down the center of the ice brick. Wendy let out a sigh of relief, chalking the event up to the dry, humid weather that had plagued her hometown for the last few days.

"Get a grip, Wendy-girl! He's frozen solid! He's not going anywhere soon!"

*KRAK!*

Another crack formed diagonally across the brick, releasing a thin layer of steam into the atmosphere. Wendy peered deeper into the ice as her concern returned. Even though his facial features were hidden away within the darkness, the robot's eyes seemingly stood out to the freckled-face fighter.

"Wow," Wendy thought, "It may be the ice messing with me, but those are the bluest eyes I have ever seen in my life…"

*KRAK!*

The perplexed young lady glimpsed down at the new damage before returning her sights forward. The blue eyes gawking at her from within the barrier were now glowing brightly, almost as if they were headlights.

*KRAK!*

A fourth split shot across the ice block. This time, the fixture started to slide, discharging more condensation. Wendy backed away from the slab as more pieces collapsed internally.

"No – No way!" She maintained her silent retreat as her grip tightened over her blaster. "How could he - ?"

*KRAK! KRAK! KRAK! KRAK!*

A rumble spread out from beneath Wendy's feet. A huge roar erupted from within the cracked ice. The wedge exploded as the cry rang out through the empty street:

"ATOMIC FIRE!"

Wendy could feel the mixture of falling ice cubes and rainfall crashing against her armor. The rising vapors fogged up her visor, temporary blinding her from the outside world. She swiftly ran her gloved hand over her face, just to time to see the blazing eyes staring daggers at her. With his hands raised to the sky, Dipper repeatedly gasped for air, his cast-ironed shoulders ascending and lowering with each breath taken. Sweat fully blanketed his face as it was the only exposed part of his body not consumed by the protective blue suit.

"He's breathing?!" Wendy wondered, now left unsure of the true nature of the opponent she was battling.

As he let out another enraged battle howl, Dipper bent over and lowered his searing palms to the ground. A line of living fire raced towards Wendy, going in between her gangly legs.

"WHOA!" The high-schooler leapt to the side to avoid the messy aftermath of the flames, keeping in mind that the last thing she needed at the moment was to get her ankles trapped in the melting cement. Wendy jumped into the air with a striking somersault. Unaware to her, her body omitted a series of electric sparks as a new message appeared in the corner of her visor:

**"SCREW ATTACK ACTIVATED!"**

Dipper stopped his assault as he spotted the shining twirl heading his way, "Did it – Did it just become a sparkler?"

Seeing that her counter made Dipper halt in place, Wendy took another bound towards her quarry, resuming the spectacular display of the multi-colored swirling display.

"I gotta do something now," Dipper said as he dodged the falling sparks, "Or else, it's going to get lucky and burn me to a crisp!"

Just as Wendy was descending from her second Screw Attack, the young detective switched his busters and hoisted his hand-gun upwards as he shouted out loud: "AIR SHOOTER!"

A mini tornado spun out of the tip of his reformed Mega Buster. Wendy shortly found herself trapped within the confines of the cyclone as she was hoisted dozens of feet into the sky. As the tornado's hold faded away, the redhead found herself falling back to earth at a tremendous speed.

"AAH!"

Wendy felt something catch her as she was about to hit the ground.

"Huh?"

She maneuvered her head to the left to see that the miniature cobalt pugilist was holding her up with a single hand along her backside. She flailed her limbs wildly in an attempt to break out of Dipper's grip.

"Hey! Put me down! NOW!"

With a sly smile spreading across his face, Dipper obeyed the command of the mysterious, yet tinny voice coming from behind the helmet.

"As you wish…"

Using the amplified power of his armor, Dipper simply tossed Wendy behind his back with an open-handed throw. To his surprise, the leggy figure morphed before his eyes, landing on the street as a knee-tall, red and yellow ball. It bounced several times before grinding on its brakes.

"So now, it's a roly-poly?" Dipper inquired, uncertain of what was happening before him.

In her Morph Ball configuration, Wendy rolled towards her baffled friend as he maintained his aim on her. The reflective sphere swiveled around, choosing to take a criss-crossed, unaligned pathway towards her target. Upon reaching Dipper, Wendy rotated around him at lightning speed, promptly leaving the lad severely dizzied as it zoomed past him. As he regained his senses, Dipper noticed that the ball had left several shimmering red and blue pellets at his feet.

"Ew, gross!" Dipper complained, lifting a leg upwards, "It poops little flashing balls!" Hearing his own words vocally made him freeze in place, "LITTLE FLASHING BALLS?!"

*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

Hearing the sounds of her bombs go off successfully, Wendy stretched out of her ball form, "Umm…_gotcha_!" Now standing upright, the plucky girl turned around to see the damage she caused, only to have her mouth instantly gape open, "You gotta be friggin' kidding me?!"

Amidst the thinning smoke, Dipper stood uninjured with a smug, determined look on his face. To Wendy's shock, a mass of _spinning metal leaves e_ncircled him, shielding him from every possible angle.

"_Leaves_?! My bombs couldn't stand up to stupid leaves?!"

With a motion of his hand, Dipper sent the pointed plant life in Wendy's direction. She quickly covered her head as they were upon her; the scrapes and scratches caused could be felt from within her armor. Becoming frustrated, Wendy latched onto a nearby fire hydrant with her Grapple Beam, yanked it from its bolts, and hurled it straight at Dipper, "Argh! I don't get it! No matter what I do…"

Dipper fired at the flying obstacle, turning it into a million pieces of red shrapnel, "…it just keeps coming at me without any signs of slowing down!"

_"What do I have to do to stop ('im/'er)?!"_

Seeing her latest attack fail, Wendy dashed towards the nuisance, deciding to finish the fight with her more naturally given gifts – _her fists_. The outraged female swung downwards at her smaller foe, alternating between her gloved hand and using her cannon as a bludgeoning tool.

Dipper cut and ducked out of the way of each of Wendy's blows, adding to her elevated fury. He thought to himself as he persisted in his defensive maneuvering, "It's too risky using the weapons at close range; I'd probably end up blowing myself up!" The thirteen-year-old tried to jab towards his super-tall challenger, only to have his punches swatted away.

Abruptly, Wendy waved her blaster across Dipper's face as a tiny wave of orange flame puffed out of the tip. She smiled from behind her screen as his attention waned towards the fireworks, "Great! He's detracted! Now's my chance!"

As Dipper noticed something was amiss, Wendy reached and delivered a hard sweeping kick, knocking him off his feet. As his body bounced off the ground, his main squeeze used the toe of her other boot to send him into the air. A second later, she flew after him, and upon reaching his height, sent him diving back to the concrete with a well-placed bicycle kick.

*CRASH!*

Wendy landed safely, a few feet away from the indigo automaton now embedded in the paved road. She looked over his wrecked body, expecting that her spike would be enough to put him out of commission. At that moment, Dipper's blue eyes opened and stared squarely on Wendy, making her gasp in fright. In a blue blur, her admirer flipped over, placed his hands against the cracked ground, and pushed off of it, thrusting his legs outwards in chorus. The force of the unexpected blow took Wendy to the other end of the street, where her armored body painfully dragged across the solid terra.

With an entire city block separating them, Dipper and Wendy made it back to a standing position as they found themselves in a stare-off. Both were drenched in perspiration, trying their best to catch their breath. Each combatant was exhausted by the on-going battle. Their bodies ached, pleading for them to end this stalemate. However, their anger grew, as they knew that this fight brought them no closer to reaching their main goals.

A desperate idea raced through the mind of both adolescents; one last-chance, bottom-ditch effort to end things once and for all. Dipper's fist became filled with a light-blue aura as Wendy's became illuminated by a blood-red light. They pulled a leg back, as they focused all their strength on the task at hand. A split second later, the duo took off, tearing towards one another at high speed. Bellows could be heard rising from their sore throats as they sprinted on.

Upon reaching their destination, Wendy and Dipper heaved their arms backwards and delivered a simultaneous punch to the other's face. The sonic boom created by the collision shattered every window along that particular street. The impact of their glowing fists drove their helmets from their heads; the gear sprung down the sidewalk in conjunction.

Although stunned, the teenagers forced themselves forwards, dragging their arm-guns up and pointing them dead-center in the now-exposed region in an effort to get that final blow. Just as they were about to pull the trigger, they looked back at their rival. As their eyes met, the entire world seemed to _freeze in place._

At first, they were unsure of the pleasurable sight. Familiarity and acquaintance had often betrayed them in the last few hours. However, after taking time to study the little detailing in the seconds that felt like hours, they were given proof of their humanity. Sweat, bruises and scratches, as well as the rare instance of blood offered things that the pixelated clones of the digital world were not able to reproduce.

Without saying a single word, the friends rushed in and embraced as tightly as they could. Wendy dropped to one knee in order to get a better grip. _In that small period of time that seemed like an eternity, in the middle of a raging battlefield, a sense of serenity and peace could be found in that small spot in Downtown Gravity Falls._

"I – I didn't – I had no clue you were inside there…"

"I had no idea it was really you, either…"

As soon as they had their fill, Wendy and Dipper released their grasp and excitedly tried to talk over each other:

"Where did you go? That purple guy –"

"I dunno. At times, I couldn't tell you if I was still on Earth or not – "

"Where'd this armor come from? Not too shabby…"

"And man, what's the deal with your eyes? Why are they shining like that?"

Despite all of the questions that had to be asked and all of the concerns that still needed to be addressed, the reunion was brought to a sudden stop – not by the warring factor of the outside world, but from the conflicts found within each soul. The warm and fuzzy feelings were quickly replaced with those found with the inner wounds they had given each other earlier. Doubt and uncertainty filed the awkward pause the companions found themselves trapped in.

Remembering the vow he had made along his journey, Dipper spoke up, breaking the surreal silence, "Um…" he scratched the back of his curly brown hair as he nervously stared at the ground, "Listen, Wendy. I have to talk to you about the other night –"

Her continued stillness made him uneasy. He looked up to see that Wendy's attention was no longer on him; rather, her emerald eyes focused on something _over_ him.

"Look, Dipper…" she said in a soft tone, _"We're here..."_

Dipper turned around to see a flat-roof building in the middle of the block. A dark, yet ominous purple barrier enclosed every square inch of the structure. The hole in the rooftop emitted a matching-colored beam into the sky, creating a dark overcast that blanketed the entire mountain town.

"It's the Arcade!"

As Wendy and Dipper were locked in mortal combat, they had inadvertently stumbled onto Main Street, reaching their shared goal by pure serendipity.

The redhead headed towards the source of all of the mayhem that plagued her home, "So, what are we waitin' for? Let's light this place up!"

"Hold on!" Dipper struck his arm out to prevent her from going onwards. "Watch…" He charged a quick blast from his buster and released it onto the barricade. The sapphire wave was pulled apart in several directions as soon as it made contact with the violet entity.

Wendy took a step back in astonishment, "Whoa!" Out of curiosity, she fired a hyper beam at the obstruction, only to watch the same thing happen to her rainbow-colored shot.

Dipper glanced back at his partner in crime, "See? That thing probably would have torn you to pieces as soon as you made contact with it!"

"But how do we get rid of it?"

"I'm not exactly sure, Wendy," Dipper admitted.

*KRAK!*

The heavens above them started to change. The gloomy-gray overcast caused by the invasion of the gaming universe became a pitch black. Random bolts of lightning provided the only source of available light. The roaring boom of thunder echoed for miles.

*KRAK!*

"But I think we're gonna find out in a minute or two…"

As it was with their initial encounter, the earth beneath their feet shook as a circle of flames formed above their heads. From out of a mass of dark purple pixels, the menacing shape of the Emperor of Darkness was brought back into reality. His clanging armor reflected the rapid flashes of the lightning in the atmosphere. The bleak, bleeding eyes centered on the two figures before them; the smooth mask covering his face offered no expression.

"My, isn't this a surprise!" The dictator taunted the couple, "I must admit, I find your progress ever so impressive. Even when separated and faced with certain death, you two managed to overcome the odds and find your way back to each other's side. You _do_ live up to your feared reputation in the digital universe! However, your legend ends here! Bear witness as we take everything that you care for!"

"Bring it on, ugly!" Wendy dared, her arm cannon aimed straight at the evil ruler, "There's isn't anything that you can toss at us that we can't beat!" She patted Dipper on the back with her free hand, "So, go on, freak! Do your worst! We'll take it, and even have time afterwards to mop the floor with ya!"

Amazed by her response, Dipper leaned towards Wendy and murmured, "W-Wow! Just wow! Where did you come up with that?"

Wendy blushed, "Dude, it's just ad-libbing! You have to talk just as big and bad as the other guy! It's almost like a rule or something…"

"HAHAHAHA!"

The Emperor laughed at the will of the gingered warrior in front of him, "So very amusing. If only any of those other fools back home were as entertaining as you! But I digress…"

He reached back into its flowing magenta cape and retrieved his fang-shaped blade. With a firm thrust, the tyrant sent it deep into the concrete.

"Minions! To me!"

From out of the ether, a small battalion pixelated into the scene. Within seconds, Dipper and Wendy were surrounded once more by a legion of lizardmen, green-wrapped ninjas, and pumpkin-headed imps.

"DESTROY THEM!"

As the group tightened their grip, the buddies were pressed back-to-back like when they were originally abducted. However, the fear and hopelessness of their last encounter had long pass, as both were now blessed by the powers given by their individual power suits.

*WHRRL!*

The Mega Buster on Dipper's hand started to charge as it flashed neon blue. He called over his shoulder, "Are you ready to do this?"

Wendy, readying her own weapon, moved her head back so he could hear, "You betcha…"

The teens rotated in unison, blasting away the underlings that charged towards them. A barrage of vibrant lasers showered the crowd in faultless harmony, hastily reducing the forces to nothing more than piles of ash and pixels that evaporated upon reaching the ground.

With all other enemies vanquished, Wendy and Dipper turned their sights on the Emperor waiting on the side lines. Their busters drawn, the pair walked towards the mastermind.

"The games end here!" Wendy boasted, "Now, are you going to go peacefully, or are we going to have to tear you to pieces?!"

Again, Dipper found himself amazed by his sweetheart's witty banter, _"I swear, it's like she must write comic books in secret…"_

The sovereign's solid eyes turned a demonic red, "You whelps…dare challenge me?!" He removed his sword from the crushed concrete and gripped it with both clawed hands, "I will make you taste terror unlike anything your feeble minds could possibly comprehend!"

He held the sword up against his helmet as he chanted in an unknown, ancient language. An instant later, the Emperor disappeared from the site in a burst of fire and smoke.

"Where'd he go?! Where'd he go?!" Dipper endlessly scanned the area, looking for any clue to the villain's whereabouts. "He'd had to go somewhere!"

Wendy placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "You have to chill, Dip! He's trying to psyche us out! Just stay close and keep an eye out for anything suspicious, okay?"

Dipper nodded along, her sage advice offering some much-needed comfort to his wilted nerves. They paced themselves, exploring the creepy scene, while making sure not to trek too far from one another.

*CRASH!*

Both twirled around towards the end of the street, their impulses on full-alert for any signs of trouble. A lone garbage pail rolled from the adjacent alley onto the road before coming to a stop. As they were able to let out a relived breath, the inferno reappeared in between them. Wendy spotted the emergence from out of the corner of her eye.

"DIPPER, LOOK OUT!"

She pushed her charge out of harm's way as the Emperor swung his sword in a vertical slash, spreading a wave of fire downwards. Wendy threw herself back, firing a string of hyper beams straight into the foe's chest.

"GAAH!" With a pained groan, the Emperor faded back into his nitrous cloud. The redhead ran over to help Dipper back to his feet.

"What is this guy?!" Dipper stood up. "It's like he's anywhere and everywhere!"

"It's just parlor tricks, buddy; a ruse not even worthy of your "Grunkle." Wendy flexed her arm gun, patting it proudly with her other hand. "The important thing is that we can hurt him! We have the tools to put this creep away once and for all!"

As Dipper's worries were starting to calm, the ill-omened blur began to surface over his posing cohort's shoulders. His blue eyes widened as he raised his arm cannon, "WENDY! BEHIND YOU!"

Before Wendy had a chance to turn around, the hovering scoundrel draped his heavy magenta cape around her upper half, holding both of her arms down. Knowing that she wasn't able to attack, the Emperor pressed down on the young woman in his grasp, hissing into her ear, "Now, tell me. Am I as harmless as you said?"

"Perhaps not," Wendy replied, her confidence never shaken, even despite her current situation, "But you're just as stupid as I figured you to be!" Dipper watched as her body shifted, slinking downward as she underwent her Morph Ball configuration, slipping in and out of the path of danger.

"WHAT?!" The Emperor glanced down to see that his hostage was already out of his reach. Instead, he found half a dozen flashing orbs placed beneath him.

*WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!*

"ARGH!" The despot staggered, being stunned by three consecutive charge blasts to his body. Dipper marched forward with weapon drawn; his apprehensive attitude replaced with one filled with outrage and contempt.

_"No one lays their filthy mitts on my Wendy, jerk!"_

Stunned, the Emperor wasn't able to teleport away as Wendy's bombs exploded one by one under his floating form.

*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

To Dipper and Wendy's shock, their adversary was overcome by an actual layer of fire! He hollered in pain as the flames spread across his backside, devouring the luxurious, living purple cape whole.

"So that's it," Dipper understood. "You can dish it out, but you can't take a little bit of fire, can you?" He looked across the way at Wendy, who seemingly shared the same mindset.

"Do it…" she mouthed, giving off a toothy grin, "Do it, Dipper…"

Dipper slapped his hands together, focusing his energies in order to change weapons. Holding his arms at chest-length, he pushed off and launched a napalm attack onto the Emperor, "ATOMIC FIRE!"

The nightmarish creature's cries ricocheted throughout the empty square. Dipper prolonged his fiery stream until he seen something resembling a grape blob falling to the floor, only to be absorbed into the ground.

As Dipper lowered his hands, he searched the ground as Wendy hurried to his side, "Dude!" she celebrated. "That – was – AWESOME!" She playfully slapped his metal front, "You totally melted that guy! We won!"

However, the boy was hesitant to join on her festivities, "I'm not so sure…"

"Huh?!" Wendy lowered herself to Dipper's level, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, take a look over there!" Her green eyes followed his hand as he pointed down the road.

"The purple stuff's still up at the Arcade…"

"And we're still like _this_…" Dipper rotated his gloved hand as a demonstration.

*RUMBLE!*

A massive earthquake rocked the earth, knocking both teenagers off their feet. A huge crack broke through the sidewalk, stretching itself out down the entire street. As the twosome rose up, they repositioned their stances in an attempt to withstand the trembling earth.

"Why can't these things ever be easy?" Wendy complained as she prepared her blaster for whatever was heading their way.

With a sense of guilt, Dipper responded, "Because these things are _never_ easy, Wendy…" He sighed and carried on under his breath, _"…especially when it comes to you and me…"_

Suddenly, as if by magic, pieces of the sidewalk and street began to break off into giant chunks. The portions, now caved into round, circular shapes, merely drifted above the floor as they organized into a neatly stacked wall. There, they remained motionless; almost like they were waiting for instructions from a higher power.

"What are they doing?" Wendy questioned, as the calmness of the extraordinary sight made her on edge.

"I'm not sure," Dipper pondered, taking a precautious step towards them.

Awakened by the singular footstep, the balls of cement, grass, and soil shot out towards Wendy and Dipper at an alarming speed. Trying their best to avoid the speedy pellets, the partners fired at the orbs, only to find that their beams had no effect. Within seconds, the teens were overwhelmed by the spheres, spread out among various heights and widths.

"OOF!"

"OWW!"

Despite their best efforts, Dipper and Wendy were violently knocked off their legs, their now-helmetless heads banged against the rough ground. As they recovered from the throbbing blow, they looked up from the floor's eye-view to see what was happening.

_As soon as the pieces reached the other end of the street, they started to merge into one large sum. The natural coloring of the heap was replaced by a familiar mauve shade. From within the center of the budge, an enormous eyeball – the same clear, expressionless type as that of the Emperor – poked out and inspected its current situation. Crudely made arms and legs flowed from the middle piece as a curved horn prodded out of each side of its rounded neck. With a subtle growl, the beast walked towards the downed co-workers; its hallow treading reminiscent to that belonging to a golem._

Wendy and Dipper scrambled upwards, gawking in horror at the sight before them.

"It's…It's some kind of _rock monster_!" Wendy exclaimed.

"Actually, with the horns and everything…" Dipper noted, "I think it's supposed to be a _Purple Devil_ of sorts…"

"Whatever it's called, it's heading this way!"

The monster went on with its warpath, forcing the pair backwards. Dipper turned his head towards Wendy for advice, "You got any ideas?"

"Same as always…" She lifted her arm cannon upwards and supported it with her free hand, "Blast the darn thing!"

Following suit, Dipper raised his buster and proceeded to join alongside Wendy's attack. Although their beams appeared to cause the transformed material to part a slight distance, no permanent damage could be found. Any lost substance was directly returned with a flash of the metal eye. The behemoth let out a mocking, low-key laugh.

"It's not working!"

"We have to keep trying! Or else, that thing is gonna squash us like bugs!"

The golem stopped; its body dissolved away to become one colossal bunch for a second time. Dipper and Wendy stopped on the dime, preparing for what was coming next.

"It's going to transform again!"

"Okay, wait a sec!" Dipper attempted to make sense of their blight, "All this stuff comes from a game, right?"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning this blob has to follow some type of pattern or predictable trait. They're just made that way! All we have to do is take our time and find that correct sequence, and we'll be able to get across without getting hurt…"

"If you say so…"

Instead of breaking out into the wall of spheres, the monster turned into a flowing downpour of rocks. As it hit the ground, it rebounded off the surface to maintain its momentum. Upon facing almost-death, Wendy lowered her brow, replying in a sarcastic tone, _"…unless it has a second pattern…"_

"I didn't know! I didn't know! These things grew more complex as computers became stronger and –" Dipper stopped his defensive rant as he spotted his solution staring him straight in the face.

"Wendy! Wendy! I got it! I know how we can get through this!"

"What?! Dipper, there's no way to get past that –"

"Trust me…" he pleaded, reaching out for her hand, "_Please_?"

Biting her lip, Wendy's sights went back and forth between her little guy and the upcoming hail of lavender boulders. With no other option available, the fifteen-year-old shrugged her shoulders and gripped Dipper's hand.

"Alright, kiddo; _I trust you_. So, what do we do now?"

As soon as Wendy's hand made contact with his, Dipper felt a sudden shock travel through his body. He couldn't tell if it was a side effect caused by his armor, or if his personal feelings were coming into play.

Standing hand-in-hand with his crush, Dipper leaned back, ready to spring upwards at a moment's notice. "We wait until the right moment…"

The clashing stones drew closer, making beads of sweat form on Wendy's forehead.

"Dipper…"

"Wait for it…"

*CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH!*

"Dude…" she started to pull at the arm holding her fast to the spot.

"Wait for it…"

A second later, the deluge leapt into the air, inches away from demolishing the two heroes.

"DIPPER!"

"NOW!"

Tightening his grip on Wendy's arm, Dipper lunged the both of them forward, narrowly missing the rocky torrent. Sensing that it missed its target, the accumulation speedily changed back to its bipedal state.

On the other side, the friends came up from their fallen state. Wendy stood upright and checked herself for injuries, still in disbelief that she and Dipper made it through in one piece, "That was insane! I still can't believe it!"

Dipper, looking at the circumstance a bit differently, could only gaze at her with a gleam of appreciation in his eyes, "…thank you…" Realizing his intentions, Wendy returned a simple smirk as they flipped around to confront the approaching brute.

With a snarl, the colossus stretched out his arm in an attempt to seize Wendy. Just before the gargantuan hand reached her, Dipper shoved her out of the way, only to end up being snatched up in her place.

"DIPPER!"

Not able to break free of the giant's grip, Dipper could do nothing but be twisted and turned at its leisure.

"PEW! PEW! PEW!*

He observed that the middle of the organism was being mercilessly bombarded with countless lasers. With his limited range, Dipper glanced down to see Wendy shooting at the fiend in an effort to break him loose.

"PUT HIM DOWN!"

Several spots in the terrain-turned-flesh were stripped away. Dipper watched as the iron eye sent out an electrified signal that made the tissue stretch over the missing parts, making it whole once again. Seeing the recovery up close, he finally figured out how to stop the golem.

"Wendy!" Dipper tried to scream down to her, "I know its weakness! You have to – "

Before he could relay the information, the leviathan sucked Dipper up through the palm of his hand. Wendy stopped her offensive, worried that she might accidentally strike her chum trapped within the golem. She spotted a large bump traveling from its right arm, across its flat torso, just to be launched out of its shoulder blade. Dipper shrieked out loud as he traveled through the air, growing silent as he hit the ground with a sickening *SPLAT!*

"Dipper!" Wendy lowered her sights at her enemy, "You're going to pay for that!"

Growing wary of the plaything at its feet, the monster parted its arm muscles, giving birth to two smaller clones. The mini-devils climbed down the purple limbs, and approached the armored girl with their hands reaching outwards.

"Stay back!" Wendy nailed the right-most replica in the mid-section, leaving only its feet behind. The moment after, the creature re-grew its unusual skin, bringing it back to perfect condition. She went to take another shot at the nuisance, only to be blindsided by the smaller monster on her left. The reformed diminutive copy tackled Wendy to the ground as she went to get up. Her arms were pinned down as the faceless beings leered over her struggling body.

"GET OFF HER!"

All of a sudden, the genetic copy on Wendy's right went soaring into the air. She raised her head to see Dipper at her side, punching the left over doppelganger directly in its eye. It liquefied into a gooey mess on the sidewalk. He reached down and offered a helping hand to his main squeeze.

"But how?" Wendy asked as she was pulled to her feet.

"That's what I was trying to say – _it's the eye_!" Dipper clarified. "The eye is what keeps regenerating the body. If we get rid of it…"

"I gotcha…" Wendy closed an eye to get a better shot at the goliath. She concentrated her efforts on the area surrounding its eyeball. Once it was cleared, she yelled out for Dipper,"It's all ready for ya, Dip!"

With a mighty bound, Dipper hopped over his taller counterpart and changed his weaponry. The monster went to squeeze the ascending with both hands, but misjudged the direction, allowing him to pass unharmed.

"METAL BLADE!"

A single gear struck the metal eye, sending it shooting out of the golem's backside. Without its power source, the lofty corpse softened before turning into a messy slush spread all over the ruined street. A long, shining object was ejected from the clutter, sending it well into the distance. The lingering eyeball sparked and flickered until it resorted back to a bubbling, purple ooze.

Wendy and Dipper walked over to the remnants of their tormentor.

"Well, look at that!"

"What do you think happened to him?" Dipper queried. "_Burnt to toast_?"

"_Vaporized to a milkshake_?" Wendy chirped in.

"Either way, glad it wasn't us…"

"You got it, buddy…"

Just as they thought their nightmare was over, the slimy residue of the Emperor sprung back to life. It slithered down the road like a snake before disappearing around the corner.

"Hmm…" Wendy speculated, "I wonder where it's going in such a hurry?"

"Well, we destroyed its body, so if anything, it'll try to find another source of power."

Her expression turned serious, "Wait, Dipper. Didn't he have some magic sword with him?"

"Yeah, I think so…"

"Well, where is it?"

"When that thing blew up, I could have sworn I saw something fly off into –" Dipper stopped, comprehending the point Wendy was trying to make. The two looked at each other with a sense of dread, before picking up their respective helmets and taking off down the street in search of the slippery muck…

* * *

><p>As soon as the Emperor's physical form was obliterated, his Dark Sword was thrown towards the other end of Gravity Falls. In actuality, it was searching for a host for its master to consume so that he might live again. In the short period of time given, the sword searched far and wide for that one would consider to be a kindred spirit – a person with a similar mindset that would make for an ideal new home for its owner.<p>

Its hunt would take it to the Gravity Falls Graveyard.

The sword crash-landed blade first into the soft soil, feet away from its selected target. A lone figure stood alone in the cemetery after having his life force drained away during the attack on the secluded town. Unable to move his body of his own accord, the long-haired, stringy boy stared at the new presence. His pupils widened as the sharp edge began to give off a demonic light.

It was satisfied in its selection. _His jealously. His anger. His hatred_. All were excellent counters to that found within the cursed duo that had defeated him. The Emperor had greatly underestimated the hope and compassion found within each of them. Their darkest hour managed to make these traits shine even brighter. This chosen individual could negate all of the good they brought forth without much effort.

With a purplish-red burst, the teenager was released from his bondage. Layers of pixels poured from every orifice of his body as he fell to his knees. He coughed loudly as his restored three-dimensional form became use to the flow of oxygen once again. As soon as he came to his senses, he looked around, unaware of neither his current surroundings nor how exactly he got there.

His dark eyes focused again on the Dark Sword, its unique and somewhat wicked nature called out to him. He approached carefully, left confused by who would leave such a treasure in the middle of nowhere. He reached for the handle of the blade, the sword slowly whispering sweet nothings into the back of his fogged mind.

_Robbie V._ heaved the weapon from the ground. "This is all kinds of awesome," he said as he took several practice swings in the air, _"I can't wait to show this baby off around town!"_

* * *

><p>After a half-hour of constant searching, Dipper and Wendy met back in front of the shielded Arcade.<p>

"Did you have any luck?" he hoped that his crush had better success.

"Nope…" Wendy undid her helmet so they could talk face-to-face. "I looked around with and without my scanners, and I haven't been able to pick up anything on that smile-ball…"

"We can't give up!" Dipper threw his fist into an open palm. "I just know if we get rid of that sword, we can break through the energies – " He trailed off as his eyes focused on a new prospect coming up the street. "NO WAY…"

"What's wrong, Dipper? What is it?!" Following his line of sight, Wendy spun around and wiped her eyes, thinking that she was seeing things as well. _"Robbie?!"_

Sure enough, Robbie V. traveled down the boulevard with the blade they needed in his grip. They flew down the path, only to make the gothic teenager flinch due to their unusual appearance.

"AHH!" Robbie jumped back, blindly waving the sword around, "Stay back! I know ninjutsu!"

Irritated, Wendy placed a fist on her hip, "Robbie, knock it off! It's us!"

_"Us?!" _He opened his eyes to see the two armored adolescents standing before him. "What the – ? Wendy?! Kid?! What are you two doing dressed like that?!"

"Robbie, listen to me!" Wendy attempted to reach out to him, "There's no time to explain. You need to give Dipper and me that sword right now!"

"Nuh-uh!" Robbie tightened his hold on the weapon, "_I'm_ the one who found this beauty. So, why should I have to give it up?"

"You need to listen to her, Robbie…" Dipper warned. "Before it's too late!"

Robbie lashed out at his rival, "You're the last person to be giving me demands, _especially after everything you've pulled this week!_ And what's with the lame robot outfit? Is it Halloween-time on Reject Planet? His sights went back to Wendy, "But you babe, I don't know what the dork said to get you in that thing, but I'm not gonna lie; you really make that look work!" Robbie seductively clicked his tongue at his ex-girlfriend, making her cringe aloud and roll her eyes in disdain.

Left dumbfounded by the goth's response, Dipper looked back at Wendy, "I'm going to blast him. It'll be a lot easier if you let me blast him…"

Wendy pressed his buster down, "No, you can't blast him." She tried to reason with Robbie again, "Robbie, don't you notice something wrong in this town? I need you to believe me, and give me that sword!"

"Oh?" He crossed his arms, "And where was this "trusting" nature when we broke up last week? When I needed you to believe _me_? Tell me, is there any difference between now and then?"

While Wendy thought of an answer, Dipper jumped in, "Yeah, there's a big difference: she's telling you the truth, and _you actually did what you were accused of doing_…"

Robbie jumped to his own defense, "You snot-nosed – "

Wendy chastised the younger teen, "Dipper, you're not helping!" She took a few steps closer to the cynical goth. "Robbie, please. What's happening right now – " Wendy used her arms to circle around the present company, "It's a lot bigger and more important than what's going on between you, me, and Dipper." She held out an open palm, "Give me the sword and help me make things right again."

He looked deep into her pleading emerald eyes – the same eyes that he adored since they met in the fifth grade. Robbie held the sword by the edges and offered it to Wendy, only to pull away at the last second. The infernal voice – the same from the graveyard – warned against her treachery. It spoke of how the beautiful, auburn-haired girl was nothing more than a cheat and a liar; that she and her "new boy" would say anything to take all that was good away from him.

"I…can't…" he quivered. "I won't!"

From out of nowhere, the violet blob slid out of the shadows and hurried towards its latest conquest. Before Dipper or Wendy realized what was happening, the ooze climbed over his body, covering his completely. The elder teen yowled in agony as his body began to change. A thick, purple miasma exhumed out of his pores, blinding the on-lookers to the metamorphosis occurring within.

"Robbie!"

Sending the impending danger, Dipper took a hold of Wendy and dragged her back, ensuring that she was out of harm's way. Together, they watched as bright lights twinkled from within the deep fog. Robbie's cries could no longer be heard. Instead, it was replaced by the intimidating sound of insane laughter:

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The mist cleared, revealing a vastly different Robbie V. Gone was his short, yet messy hair_. It had been replaced with long, incredibly straighten silver hair that reached his backside. His bangs were parted to the right side of his face. His black eyes were now a bright, almost-neon green, reminding Dipper less of Wendy's emerald ones, and more so of a cat's. _

_His trademark "Broken Heart" hoodie was transformed into an oversized black trench coat that stretched down to his kneecaps. Grey pads were stitched into each shoulder blade. Beneath that, he sported matching onyx suspenders along with the same colored trousers and boots. His body was no longer pathetically skinny as he was given a muscular build._

_The Dark Sword that had triggered the alteration also took on a makeover of its own. Instead of resembling a demonic fang, it was thinned out to become a white katana that was as lengthy as its welder. Robbie gripped it with two black-gloved hands as a devilish smile spread across his now-pock-free face._

"I…AM…REBORN!"

Dipper and Wendy could only look on as the amethyst aura returned, coating the new Robbie from head to toe. He raised his blade over his head as he prepared himself for battle.

"CHALLENGE ME IF YOU DARE!"


	17. Chapter 16

_"So, now I'm finally goin' down.  
>Can I find my way back home?<br>Now, there's no one else around.  
>Can I find my way back home?<br>Will I ever see the light?  
>Even though I'm fallin'?<br>(Will there ever be any peace for me?)  
>Even though I'm falling?<br>(Will there ever be any peace for me?)  
>Even though I'm falling?<br>(Will there ever be any peace for me?)"_

"Your Disease," by Saliva

**Chapter 16 – The Fate of Two Worlds**

Wendy and Dipper looked on in awe of the new foe standing before them. Moments before, the partners in crime had destroyed the physical form of the dark Emperor of the digital world. In order to maintain its life in the real world, it has selected a host in order to continue its reign of mayhem and chaos in Gravity Falls.

Unfortunately for them, he had chosen Robbie V; someone who currently didn't hold either teenager in high regard. The plucky redhead had just broken off their relationship only a week earlier, due to her young cohort's exposing of the goth's deceitful ways.

Now, they found themselves face-to-face with this newly formed unholy combination. Gone was the scrawny, yet somewhat gross body given by adolescence. The demonic power had made Robbie taller, leaner, and more powerfully built. It had even improved his features, giving him a perfect complexion, as well as long, professionally-straighten silver hair.

Heaving his converted, extremely length white katana into his left hand, Wendy stepped forward, just outside of Dipper's reach, in an attempt to talk her ex down. The eerie purple aura surrounding his black-donned body increased as his laughter grew louder and deeper with every passing second.

"Robbie…" the girl offered an orange and red gloved hand, "What are you doing?"

"Hmm…?" He lowered his head to meet his former love. Their green eyes locked on to one another, never straying away as if they were magnetized.

Dipper went to join Wendy by her side, only to freeze up in mid-step. His enhanced ears buzzed with an ear-popping humming sound. As he covered them, the same warning he received after defeating Rumble McSkirmish replayed in his sub-consciousness:

**"WEAPON GET – UXPEOHVULGLFXORXVOBPDVVLYHFRPER – DATA ERROR!"**

He closed his eyes and slapped the side of his protected head, as one would do to broken machinery, in an attempt to make the inaccuracy disappear.

"Egh! What's wrong with this thing? It's like I got a virus or something – _this isn't the time or the place for this!_ The very last thing I need is for the suit to be on the fritz…"

Wendy, totally unaware of Dipper's plight, moved even closer to Robbie in an attempt to calm him.

"Look at what he's turned you into!" She highlighted his metamorphosis by moving her arm up and down in example, "This isn't who you really are!"

He replied to her, his voice a dry mash up of his usually nasally whine combined with the heavy, raspy tone of the Emperor, "Says the chick in battle armor! And how would you know who I really am? _I'm the bad guy, remember_?!" He pointed at Dipper, not once showing emotion in his responses, "After all, that's what "your little guy" keeps telling you, right?"

With the inaccuracy gone from his mind, Dipper regained his senses. Seeing the now-close distance between Robbie and Wendy, he raised his buster, ready to attack if the goth was to dare cross his crush in any fashion.

"Wendy…" Dipper asked, "I'd like to shoot the monster. Could you move, please?"

She spun around and yelled, "NO!" The seriousness and concern found in her freckled face caught Dipper off-guard. In spite of his own feelings, the boy obeyed her request, making sure to keep his space to avoid making matters worse.

"Please, Robbie…"Wendy resumed her appeal, "Things haven't been the…_best_…between us lately, but that doesn't mean we wanna see you get hurt!"

"_Speak for yourself_…" Dipper thought to himself as he crossed his arms.

"Deep down, I know there's actually a pretty decent guy that doesn't deserve that! And if you listen to him, Robbie, you'll see that something's wrong."

After taking a second to hear Wendy out, his behavior started to change. His breathing slowed to a crawl. His eyes dimmed, losing some of their creepy green shine.

"W-Wendy?"

Wendy gave him a brief smile of relief. She was getting through to him!

"Yeah, man, it's me…" The cashier drew nearer. "I know you can do this, Robbie! You can't believe whatever it is that guy's telling you. _You_ are the only one that can stop it, Robbie! You just gotta try!"

The purple ambience around him began to fade, "You – You're right," he sighed."

Wendy's grin widened at her success, "It's going to be okay…" She glanced over her shoulder at Dipper, "You see? It's going to be okay…"

At first, Dipper nodded along, trying to return the support that Wendy needed from him.

But from beyond Wendy's towering figure, the armored lad watched as his rival changed. A sly beam emerged on his slender mug. The devilish gleam returned to his almost-feline eyes. Before Wendy could turn around, he raised the hand holding his six-foot-long sword.

"WENDY!" Dipper screamed as he reached out for her, "LOOK OUT!"

Caught in mid-turn, she came back around, only to have Robbie give her a deep, horizontal slash across her chest. A sickening *GASP!* filled the empty street. As her breast plate let out a series of dangerous shocks and electric bolts, Wendy's legs gave way, forcing to down to her knees. The helmet in her arm fell to the ground with a loud *THUD!*

Dipper rushed to her aid, but before he could reach her, Robbie swooped in and scooped up the fallen warrior with his free arm. He dragged her to a standing position, holding her tightly against his jacketed body, so that she could see her panicked friend. With the little strength she had left, Wendy tried to break free of Robbie's grip, discovering that he was pinning her arms down. The intensive damage to her suit prevented her from "Morph-Balling" away to safety.

"WENDY!" The blue armored teen ran towards her with his arm cannon drawn.

_"Not…another…step…" _Robbie elevated his blade, mounting it against the center of Wendy's armor, making sure that its edge rested against her jugular. Feeling the tip nestled on her skin, she dared not to move an inch, finding herself almost afraid to breathe.

Dipper immediately skidded to a stop, his aim solely focused on the bully holding his sweetheart as a human shield.

"LET HER GO! NOW!"

Robbie simply sneered at his demand, "It's incredible. Even now, you think you're in control of the situation. I mean, look at you! The magnificent hero! Standing there in your dumb, little suit like you're some sort of _Megaman!_ And deep down, you really believe it, don't you? You think that you're going to win, save the girl, and return everything to normal. Well, guess again!"

*WHRRL!*

Dipper charged his buster, the seriousness of the circumstance making him stutter, "I-I-I'm warning you, man! If one hair on her head is out of place, I swear I'll –"

"Y-Y-You'll do nothing!" Robbie tightened his grip on Wendy, "If you wanna take a shot at me, go ahead! I dare ya!"

"Robbie…" Wendy murmured, "Don't…"

He gently shushed his old girlfriend by delivering baby kisses upon the back of her crown of auburn hair, "Oh! Shh! Shh! Shh! Shh! Don't you worry your pretty head over anything, baby girl. I promise it'll all be over soon…" The sinister dual voice whispering in her air sent goosebumps racing across her flesh.

"If you want a fight, Robbie," Dipper offered. "I'll be more than happy to give you one! But you keep Wendy out of this! She has nothing to do between us!"

Robbie threw his head backwards as he let out another barrage of maniacal laughter, "You still don't get it, do you? All of this – _everything that has happened _– it has everything to do with _you, and me, and her! _This is where it all comes to a head! _He_ has made it clear to me now!"

"He's completely off his rocker," Dipper thought. "I'm going to have to take him down…"

"Yeah, that's right!" Robbie taunted further, "I can feel it, you know; all of that rage and anger building up within you. Wouldn't it feel better just to let it all out? I know you want to…"

The thirteen year old found himself trapped in a scenario straight out of his worst nightmares. He knew that he would be able to nail Robbie with a single blast, but it would be impossible without striking Wendy as well – _and Robbie knew this!"_

"C'mon, kid! What's the matter?! Isn't this what you wanted? _To finally be rid of me?!_" He held Wendy closer, making it so that their heads were on an almost-equal level. "So, get on with it already! Make _her_ proud!"

Dipper's arm was shaking uncontrollably as the Mega Buster's engine revved endlessly. With no idea what to do next, he switched his perspective away from his enemy, and towards the hostage in his grasp. Wendy watched Dipper's every moment with uneasy anticipation, going without making any kind of sound. Her green eyes, turned glassy and on the brink of frightened tears, reminded him of the past. She had given him that exact look a week earlier at Lookout Point – _those same eyes that had begged him to save her_ – and now, they asked for him again.

"Now's your chance! Take it! If you really want to stop me, you'll have to do it! Pull the trigger, and the nightmare stops!"

Robbie's demands seemed as distant as Dipper became lost in the glimmer of Wendy's emerald eyes as they waited for his response.

"Well, what's it going to be, Dipper? Are you going to show me that you're really _her hero_ or not?"

Without taking his sights off of Wendy, Dipper made his decision - he had no intention of letting her down for a second time. He lowered his arm-gun to his side as its glowing faded, turning back into a regular hand. Dipper looked up and gave his answer, a hint of confidence lingering in his voice.

"There's nothing for me to prove. _I already know what I am!"_

"Ohh!" A relieved cry escaped Wendy's lips. Her soul felt a brief sense of respite, knowing that her ultimate fate would not come at the hands of "her boy."

"No…" Robbie shook his head in disbelief, noticing how the two were staring at each other. "It wasn't supposed to…NO!" His desperate plan to shatter the last remaining thread of trust between Wendy and Dipper had done the very opposite. Their broken bond was strengthen by the act; _the shared sense of hope between them was returning!_

"You…You filthy coward!"

With his being powered by absolute outrage, Robbie pulled the arm holding Wendy back and flung her away from him. The ginger let out a high-pitched shriek as she collided with Dipper; the force of the crash sent them flying down the road. Breathless, they lied on the cold gravel in a tangled mess.

Dipper was the first to get up. He reached down to check over the condition of his favorite redhead. Wendy's expression was utterly worn. Her usually paled freckled complexion was instead a sweaty, beet-red. Her breaths were frequent, but slower than usual. A tiny mark was found on her slender neck in the same spot where Robbie held the sword against her throat. Thankfully, the skin wasn't broken.

His eyes quickly moved to her suit. The gash Robbie gave her was enough to pierce through the armor, but fortunately the wound was nowhere close to reaching her lanky body. The violent internal flickering had dimmed down vastly.

Dipper gently helped Wendy up to a sitting position, "Are you alright?"

She turned her head, double-checking the damage she had received, ending the quick physical with her metal hands at her esophagus, "Thanks to you…"

The boy's worry for her safety made him overlook her affection. He placed his arms under her back in an effort to help her stand. While the superhuman strength of his armor made Wendy (and the added weight of her suit) as light as a feather, Dipper found it awkward to hold her up because of the difference in their sizes.

As soon as Dipper let go of Wendy, she instantly crashed back towards the ground. He caught her just before she hit the floor.

"WENDY!" Her admirer eased her back into a comfortable pose, "What's wrong?"

"Dipper…" she moaned, "My legs…I can't feel anything below my waist…"

"WHAT?!" In a frenzy, the young detective re-explored the damaged area of Wendy's body armor, "Oh, no! No! This doesn't make sense! He hit your front! And there's no sign of organic damage, so how –"

She reached up and grabbed his shoulder to stop him, "No, man; you have to listen. He got me good – and the suit; it's like it's a part of me. Something like this happened earlier when I was by myself. When my Energy Tanks refill, the armor will be as good as new…"

"Okay…okay…so, how long will that take?"

"Um…" her voice began to slow, as if she was drifting away, "Not sure…a couple of minutes. Maybe almost an hour?"

"Almost an hour?!" Dipper noticed that something was off with Wendy's behavior. Her eyelids were constantly lowering, like she was seconds away from passing out in his arms. "Wendy?!" he carefully rocked her back and forth, "You gotta stay with me. _Please?_ I-I can't do this alone…"

Wendy's hand moved to his exposed cheek, _"Sorry…but…sleepy…sooooo…sleepy…can't…help…it…"_ Her connection to the armor was making her nod off.

Down the road, Robbie was waiting patiently several yards away. Showing off a smug look, he waved a black-gloved hand in Dipper's direction, "Oh, don't rush on my account. I have all the time in the world…"

There was no avoiding it now. Dipper knew that eventually, it would all come down to him versus the Emperor-possessed Robbie. While still holding Wendy, he stretched out an open-palmed arm, closed his eyes, and concentrated. When he re-opened them, the last of the doctor's E-Tanks was in his grip.

The azure-dressed fighter held the beverage to his lips. The battles with Wendy and her clone had taken a lot out of him. He knew that the only chance in defeating Robbie was to be at full strength. Before he could take a sip, Dipper gazed down at his injured cohort. A certain term Wendy had used to describe her armor's power source stuck in his mind:

"…_my Energy Tanks_…"

He glanced down at the thermos in his hand, "Energy Tank? That's what the Doc called these things!" An idea popped in his head, "I really hope that robotics is interchangeable in the gaming universe…"

Dipper hoisted Wendy back up, "Wendy? Wendy, I need you to wake up…"

Her eyes barely opened in response, "Dip…my head hurts…"

"I know…" He brought the canister to her lips, "Here, Wendy, I need to you drink this stuff. It'll help you!"

The groggy female mumbled, feeling the coldness of the metal "What's…that?"

"Something to make you feel better…" Taking extra care to provide proper support for her neck, Dipper watched as Wendy slowly drank the power-up, stopping every couple of sips to make sure she didn't lose her breath.

"That's it…" he encouraged, "Every last drop…"

Upon finishing the drink, Wendy let out a quiet, but adorable burp. A sweetened smile spread across her face as she closed her eyes and went back into a deep slumber.

"Mmm…it tastes like…_Pinnacle Rainfall_…"

Dipper looked upon his secret love sleeping peacefully, knowing that there was a possibility that this would be the very last time he would ever get to see her. He took his free hand, kissed the tips of his index and middle fingers, and placed them against her freckled cheek. A real kiss would have felt inappropriate, especially while in his unforgiven state.

Setting Wendy on the floor, Dipper rose up, unsure if his gesture was meant to wish her "sweet dreams" or to bid her "farewell." He turned around and prepared himself to face his destiny.

Robbie chuckled as Dipper stood guard over Wendy's body, "Well, well, well. And here we are…"

Dipper narrowed his eyes at the goth, ready for anything that was tossed his way.

"Your fear…I can sense it growing by the moment…it is truly delicious…" Dipper's expression changed as he noticed that Robbie's influence seemingly vanished; only the Emperor's cold voice remained. "The weakling who was gracious enough to give me his body has a fondness for the creature behind you. For this, I extend to you a rare opportunity. Step away and let _us_ take the girl, and we'll allow you to flee like the coward you know you really are. We won't hunt you down…until we take the rest of humanity…"

*WHRRL!*

Dipper's arm cannon returned, glowing a bright green, "It's not going to happen! You'll take Wendy over my dead body!"

The villain's smirk only grew at his answer. Robbie returned to the duality, "That's the idea, brat!" All of a sudden, his body seized up, as he let out a single moan. A _curved, fully-feathered black wing shot out from behind Robbie's right shoulder_.

"Huh?" Dipper wondered about the sight before him, "Is that what he's supposed to be? Some type of diabolical _one-winged angel?"_

Robbie threw his empty hand into the air and opened it. On his order, the overcast grew darker, sealing away any traces of light. The heavy clouds spun into a rotating funnel, following the rounding motions of the goth's hand, making Dipper realize the awful truth:

_"He's controlling the entire atmosphere with a simple command! What am I truly dealing with here?"_

With that, Robbie walked onwards to reclaim his ex-girlfriend.

The tiny defender roared, aiming his buster straight at Robbie, sending three fully charged shots his way.

*WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!*

With little effort, Robbie dodged the first blast, cut the second in half using his blade, and deflected the last with his hand, sending it hurtling into a building close by.

*KA-BOOM!*

"What?!" Dipper grew frantic at seeing Robbie's reversing every one of his attacks. "What am I going to do? There's no way – "

He stopped, looking behind his back, and was reminded of whom he was fighting for. With a renewed sense of courage, Dipper faced his nemesis, willing to do whatever it took to keep Robbie away from Wendy.

"METAL BLADE!" Changing weapons, Dipper chucked a barrage of steel spinning gears in Robbie's direction.

*KLINK! KLINK! KLINK!*

Using his giant katana, Robbie repelled each blade, sending them flying into the atmosphere.

"Is that all you got?" he challenged. "Any more tricks up those blue sleeves of yours?"

"Just you wait! QUICK BOOMERANG!"

His hands moving in a supersonic blur, Dipper pitched a number of boomerangs at the slimming figure. Robbie twirled his sword in a continuous circular motion, similar to the blades of a windmill.

*DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!*

Dipper watched in disbelief as all of the pink-colored projectiles fell to the rocky floor. Despite this second defeat, he refused to give up, especially knowing that Wendy would be lost forever!

"BUBBLE LEAD!" Lowering his cannon to the ground, Dipper let a giant acid bubble pour out of his muzzle. It traveled along the cement street, eating away at the gravel bit by bit. Upon reaching Robbie, he clutched his sword with both hands and slit the circle up the middle, sending it off in two different directions.

"Hmm…anything else?"

Dipper's empty hand grew into a harden fist as his frustration grew. "AIR SHOOTER!" He lifted his cannon as a turbine formed on the inside. The younger teen sent a mini-tornado off into the distance, in hopes of blowing Robbie away for good.

Instead, the monstrous combination dug his katana into the ground as the gust overcame him. Planted firmly, Robbie wasn't moved an inch by the tiny hurricane. Only his jacket and hair were pushed back by the attack.

"Getting closer…" Robbie goaded in a sing-song voice.

"CRASH BOMBER!"

Dipper launched a set of the drill-tipped explosives at Robbie's coattails, hoping to pin him in place. As he watched the lit-up tips of the drills flash rapidly, he threw himself over Wendy's top half in an attempt to protect her from any upcoming shrapnel heading their way.

*KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM!*

A light rainfall of dirt and gravel landed over the back of Dipper's covered head. He rose up to see the collateral damage he made. A thick layer of smoke clouded the street.

"Yeah!" Dipper celebrated. "I got him! At last, I got him!"

A pair of sinister green eyes poked out from beyond the smog. A second later, Robbie stepped forward, brushed the remaining dust from his arms, and resumed his journey.

"ATOMIC FIRE!" Dipper stood back in front of Wendy and pushed his arms outward. Waves of fire rushed across the street. The black wing on Robbie's back covered him just as the flame went past. Beads of sweat dripped from Dipper's brow. His hands flashed as he turned up the temperature, making the inferno increase in size. Buildings, cars, and even plant life near the path of the blaze cracked and shriveled up.

Dipper could feel himself being drained, but he had to be sure that Robbie was stopped. _For Wendy's sake,_ he needed to do whatever it took to bring him down!

As the breath evaporated away from his lungs, Dipper finally pulled back and relinquished the flames. He bent over and placed his hands on his kneecaps, taking in as much fresh air as he could heave. Dipper stared down the boulevard and spotted a red glowing shape in the middle of the street. The top layer opened and moved forward, filling the air with a sea of ashes.

The redness vanished, as the shield revealed itself to be the gigantic black wing. It moved back to its original position, showing Robbie to be safe and sound. Not a single hair or feather on him appeared to be singed. He walked through the lingering columns of fire like they were nothing!

"Almost there..."

"I'm running out of weapons!" Dipper lamented. "After that, I –"

He thought of one definite power that could help him out of his current predicament, "Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way. The best offense is a good defense!"

Dipper hurried to Wendy's side, held a hand against her shoulder, and pointed the other out towards Robbie, "TIME STOPPER!"

An incredible shine flashed across the scene. The flow of time locked in place as Dipper recognized the familiar background sound (*TICK! – TICK! – TICK!*). Knowing that he didn't have long, he pulled the unconscious Wendy upwards, throwing her arm over his neck. Dipper wished that he could merely carry her away from the scene, but the lumberjack's lengthy size prevented him from doing so.

*TICK! – TICK! – TICK!*

"C'mon, my Wendy-girl, " Dipper spoke out loud to make himself feel better, knowing in truth that she couldn't really hear him, "We gotta get outta here! We'll go and regroup for a bit, and when you're ready to, we'll come back and cream this –"

*TICK! – TICK! – TICK!*

With Wendy in tow, Dipper gazed ahead, only to see something that made his blood run cold.

In spite of reality being frozen over, Robbie went on with his pursuit freely. Tucking his sword under one of his arms, he used his gloved fingers to part the unmoving particles and specks of cinders stuck in mid-air.

"That's impossible!" Dipper's heart beat faster and faster, "Only Wendy and I should have been immune to the Stopper. How did he break through?!"

*TICK! – TICK! – TICK!*

As the ticking sound heightened, the progress of time returned to normal. Dipper sank downwards, taking his crush with him, as Robbie was almost upon them.

"S-S-Stay back!" Dipper stuttered in terror. "I-I'm warning you!" Left with no other choice, he clutched Wendy's body tightly against his and summoned his last weapon, hoping it would offer some sort of protection, "LEAF SHIELD!"

A barrier of metal leaves swooped in and surrounded the two teenagers in a constant circle. Dipper closed his eyes and lowered his head against Wendy's shoulder. He prayed that this would be enough to keep them safe for the moment.

From within the darkness, Dipper could hear a denting sound echo in his eardrums:

*DIT! DIT! DIT! DIT! DIT! DIT! DIT! DIT! DIT! DIT! DIT! DIT! DIT!*

Dipper opened his eyes to see that Robbie was right before them. The bunch of metallic foliage was found crumpled in the goth's hand. He let them fall from his hand; they made *KLANG*ing noises as they hit the hard ground.

"Oh…no…"

With a hint of glee on his now-cleared face, Robbie reached down and pulled Dipper away from Wendy. Her lifeless body drooped back down to the ground. He held Dipper in the air by his left arm as the small pugilist was brought face-to-face.

"Heh…" Robbie chuckled. "My turn…"

Robbie took the diminutive pest and threw him over his head. Dipper went soaring into the sky, landing on the other side of the block face first. With a grunt, he pushed himself up from the torn gravel, and turned his attention to the other side of the street.

"WENDY?!"

Strangely enough, Dipper could spot Wendy, still resting quietly down the lane. Robbie's darken form seemingly disappeared from the scene.

"He…_didn't_ take her? That – everything he said – _was just to mess with me?"_

More confused than ever, Dipper made it back to his feet, as he whirled around in search of Robbie's current whereabouts.

_"I warned you, short pants…"_

Dipper continued his watch with arm cannon at the ready. The booming voice rang out overhead, providing the sleuth no help in knowing where the menace was at the moment.

_"You could have left her behind; could have gotten yourself out of this mess…"_

He maintained his hunt, looking for any sign of the insane elder adolescent.

_"But now, it's too late. There's no escape. And I'm not going to lie…"_

From out of the corner of Dipper's eye, he saw it: a black shadow that slithered towards him at lightning speed. He turned to see Robbie with his sword raised high above his head.

_"…I'm so going to enjoy this…"_

The gothic scoundrel slashed downwards at Dipper, only to have him bounce back at the last moment. Dipper tried to counter with a Mega Buster blast as Robbie stepped out of the fireball's range. The taller teenager lounged forward with his blade drawn, allowing his challenger to deliver another shot at his face. Robbie moved his head to avoid the stream. He stretched out his longer black-covered leg, and tripped Dipper from behind, knocking him off his feet, and flat on his back.

Robbie stood over him, ready to thrust his katana into his reinforced chest, "End of the line, nerd!"

Dipper rolled out of the way as he pressed down. On one knee, Dipper took aim for Robbie's chest, "It's not over yet!"

*WHOOSH!*

The blue wave struck Robbie in the torso, stunning him momentarily. Seeing this opening, Dipper hopped up and delivered a thunderous fist to Robbie's face…

*KRAK!*

…only to discover he had no effect! Robbie turned his neck back, his evil grin widen at seeing Dipper's dismay.

"OW! Like oww!" Dipper waved his throbbing hand in hopes that the stinging sensation would quickly fade away. "It felt like I sucker-punched a mountain! But then, what was that cracking sound?" He turned his arm, and let out a cry, "No! Oh, no!"

A hairline crack traveled from Dipper's fist all the way down to his elbow. The hit nearly shattered his power suit into pieces!

Leaving his weapon in the ground, Robbie snatched Dipper up by the throat and brought him up to eye level, "You like dishing it out, don't you, you little snot? Well, let's see if you can _take it_ as well!"

*THWACK!*

Robbie gave Dipper a deep punch to the gut. The small fry gagged loudly as he struggled to breathe.

*THWACK!*

He coughed violently as all air left his body. His face was turning a dark red.

*THWACK!*

The titanium suit offered very little protection. Dipper felt his _own_ insides being crushed.

After the third damaging check, Robbie released his grip on Dipper. The grade schooler dropped to his hands and knees as he struggled to take in as such oxygen as possible. A minute later, Dipper was pressed flat onto the ground by a big black boot.

"And there you are…" Robbie's tone arose from the dual dialect, "…right where you belong; on your knees, begging me for forgiveness, for taking away everything that mattered to me!"

Dipper could only turn his head and stare at the ranting goth with narrowed, angry eyes. Robbie sneered at his expression, "Even in your lowest point, you look at me like that – _that disgusted, defiant look._ Oh, of how you must think you're so much better than me, Dipper…"

Robbie removed his foot from Dipper's back, "But don't worry; I'm not mad in the slightest!" He walked over to the side and grabbed both of Dipper's booted ankles, "All that means is that…"

With full force, Robbie swung Dipper around and let him go, "…you haven't learned your place yet!"

The youngster flew through a solid lamppost and into a plated glass window display of one of the random shops in downtown Gravity Falls. The glass shattered, but didn't break through. Dipper landed roughly on the cement sidewalk as the few single strands of the lamppost gave away, sending the metal structure timbering into the street. The lamp broke into a million different pieces as it smashed into the concrete.

Dipper let out a deep wince as he made an effort to lift himself off the ground. There wasn't a single part of him that didn't feel some kind of pain at that moment. He pressed a finger against his bottom lip, noticing that he had started to bleed.

_"I – I guess there are some things the armor can't protect me from…"_

A huge shadow was cast over Dipper, prompting him to look upward. Robbie stood before him with recollected katana in hand.

"So, did we learn anything?"

Filled with nothing but loathing for the fiend, Dipper spat at Robbie. A mix of blood and saliva splattered onto his boots. With a shrug of his shoulders, Robbie leaned down and picked Dipper up again.

"I guess not…"

He threw Dipper straight up into the darkened sky. As the boy shrieked as he descended back to Earth, he saw Robbie following suit after him. The black wing on his back allowed him to glide about gracefully. Dipper perceived the unsheathed blade in Robbie's hands as he drew nearer. Figuring on what was coming next, the tiny fighter covered his head with his arms as he prepared himself for the onslaught.

*SKINT! SKINT! SKINT! SKINT! SKINT! SKINT! SKINT! SKINT! SKINT! SKINT! SKINT!*

Robbie hacked and sliced at the armored teen with his sharpened katana. Pieces of his cobalt suit chipped away as deep scratches were spread across Dipper's body. When he felt he was finished, Robbie plunged the handle of the sword into Dipper's side, forcing him to the ground with a deafening *BOOM!*

Dipper landed at such a velocity that he created a crater in the gravel. He hacked up a small amount of dirt and dust that had entered his lungs upon impact. He lay perfectly still, hoping to regain any trace of inner strength as Robbie landed onto the terra firma. His adversary calmly walked over to see Dipper's condition – rather, if he had succeeded in taking the hero down a few pegs.

The stunned teenager could do nothing but gawk up at the danger with resentment filled in his eyes.

"That – look!" Robbie walked around the downed body in outrage, "That look full of arrogance! _Why can't I take that from you?!"_ Dipper observed how Robbie's face began to twist up in annoyance, before returning to normal.

"So, let me ask you something, boy…" The essence of the Emperor came though, as Dipper recognized his grave tone, _"Do you even know whose outfit is it that you wear?"_

Caught off-guard by the question, Dipper tried to sit up, only to be given a swift kick in his ribs, making him cry out in agony.

_"A fallen idol's!"_ Another punt dug even deeper. _"A forgotten champion's!"_

Robbie's form sauntered about as the Emperor narrated further, "_He's just like you – another little fool who believes that one person can make a difference! That the underdog can triumph over any adversary and save the day! But as time passed, the world stopped caring about uplifting messages such as his and shortly after, disregarded him, putting him away on a shelf like an old toy!"_

The lofty agitator took Dipper by both shoulders and hoisted him into the air. Robbie's voice soon returned, "And that's the thing – wait a second here…"

He reached his fingers into Dipper's helmet and tore it away from his head, painfully catching some of his curly brown hair along with it. Robbie heaved the headgear into the remoteness, "There! No more hiding behind costumes! Now, it is really me and you…"

Dipper was pulled closer, "Like I was saying, junior, you go along and present yourself as this hero, but you really don't get how everything really works. _The world doesn't want heroes anymore!_ It looks down upon them! It hopes for them to fail so we can all laugh afterwards. Instead, they want to be the bad guy; the guy that will cross every line and stop at nothing to get what they want: money, power, popularity, girls, you name it! In other words, the world would rather have more people…_like me!"_

Robbie detected Dipper's face coiling at the comment, "And I know, I know – deep down you're all like _"No, Robbie! Say it isn't so! You're lying!"_ and so on, but I want you to keep one undeniable fact inside that monster noggin of yours; one thing that despite all of your book smarts and little magic tricks, you will never ever be able to prove it wrong!"

He took a deep breath before giving off a tooth-full beam, _"Wendy chose me over you…" _Dipper's mind raced at the statement as he did as was predicted: he tried his hardest to find any sort of evidence to counter Robbie's claim.

The goth took a second to let the message sink in, "And guess what? _She's only the beginning! The same thing will happen throughout the rest of your life_ – that is, if I decide to let you live!"

A sense of glee entered Robbie's mixed soul as he seen the life being drained from Dipper's eyes. For this, he decided to deepen the emotional wound, being satisfied in breaking him in both body and soul.

"And before you start preaching about holding some "high moral ground" over me, there's a little something you should know. The truth is that you're really not as much as a hero as you make yourself out to be! You showed everyone your true colors that night at Lookout Point. You did anything and everything you could take Wendy away from me and have her all to yourself! While part of me wants to tear you into two to return the favor, on the other hand, I can't really blame you for doing so. Heck, I would have same if I were in your shoes…"

"What…" Dipper grew nauseated, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that deep down, _you're just like me!_ You go around and act like you're a better person when in reality, you're anything but! You'll do whatever it takes to get your way, no matter who you hurt or what you destroy doing so! _You and I are the same!"_

"But you're wrong! There is a difference!"

Dipper and Robbie followed the distant voice down the street. A fully-awakened Wendy held herself upwards with her forearms as she inched her way towards the two. Her heavy armored legs, not yet functional, dragged behind her.

Robbie's brow narrowed, "What did you just say?!"

Her nearly-wrecked friend begged her to stay silent in fear of what tortures the maniac would be willing to put her though, "Oh, Wendy. Don't…Don't say anything else! He'll –"

"SHUT UP!" Robbie threw Dipper away into the secluded area filled with green shrubbery. His demonic sights were now turned towards Wendy, "I want to hear what she has to say…" He walked slowly towards the ginger, and bent down to one knee to properly address her, "Now, would you mind repeating yourself?"

Wendy maintained her courage, even with instant death standing over her disabled state, "You were right about Lookout Point, Robbie. That night, you and Dipper broke my heart. I couldn't begin to tell you how hurt I felt when I had both "my boys" stab me in the heart. But, you're totally off the mark in saying you and Dip are the same! It just isn't true!"

He lowered himself further. A look of confusion and injury appeared on his face. He, Robbie alone, spoke to her in a quiet voice, "How? Even now, after everything's that happened, how can you say that? About me? And about him?"

The redhead blinked as she attempted to find a way to best explain herself, "It's like I told Dipper before this whole mess started: you don't have a thing to do with anything that happens between Dipper and I the same way he doesn't have anything to do with what happens between you and me! Lookout Point wasn't the beginning of the end for us, Robbie. It was just the cherry on top of the crap sundae! Think about it, man. We had tons of issues between us, and those had nothing to do with that kid!"

Robbie replied soberly, "But…why does he get a free pass and I don't?"

"But he didn't, Robbie!" Wendy went on, "I was just as mad as Dipper as I was with you. There are _still_ a lot of things him and I have to work out! But at least he tried to make things right, Robbie! _Even if it wasn't in the way I wanted him to-"_

Wendy stopped for a moment, realizing the meaning behind her own words. "Even if it wasn't in the way I wanted him to, Dipper kept trying his best to make amends, no matter how hard I pushed him away or what I did to him out of spite. And what did you do, Robbie? The same thing we used to argue about! Instead of owning up to your mistakes, you blame someone else for them! And if I know you, I bet you're done nothing but mope around your parents' front yard, haven't you?"

Robbie sat back, struck hard by the reality of her message, "Wendy…I…But…I mean…"

As quickly as he re-appeared, the dejected goth was internally swallowed by the malevolent force pulling his strings. His sadness was turned into instant lunacy. He rose to his feet as a stream of fanatical laughter poured out from his mouth. Shivers sped down Wendy's backside as she witnessed his inner transformation up close.

"Robbie?"

"That was truly…_amusing_…" the dual voice spoke down to her, "Part of me still can't believe what I just heard! You're just as delusional and pathetic as that stupid kid! What could I have possibly have seen in you?! It's kind of ironic when you think about it; _you two naïve cretins deserve each other!"_

Robbie raised his katana over his head, "And I'm sure you will meet up with him – after I send you both in the next world!"

Wendy tried to crawl away from the danger, but without the use of her lower half, she was forced to a turtle's pace. Trapped by her vicious renegade ex-boyfriend, she lowered her head towards the floor, covered herself with her arms, and closed her eyes. The seconds passing felt like an eternity as Wendy waited for the end.

*KLING!*

She had heard the sound, but never felt the final blow. Was Robbie's strike so precise that she had passed on without even realizing it? A scrapping noise, similar to twisted metal, rang through her mind. Wendy opened her eyes and gasped at the sight unfolding at her feet.

A badly beaten and worn out Dipper Pines stood between Robbie and her. With his back faced to her, he held the edge of Robbie's sword in between his gloved hands. The more the tormentor pressed down on the blade's handle, the more the two metals smashed together, creating a chain of blinding sparks.

"No!" Robbie yelled as his dark purple aura came forth once more. "You won't stop me! Not again!"

With his grip loosening, Dipper looked back at Wendy. Their eyes met, and without saying a single word, there was an understanding found between the two. The girl knew that Dipper would never let Robbie lower that katana upon her, but at the same time, she understood that he didn't have the strength to counter the attack.

From up-close, Wendy could see that nearly every spot on Dipper's once-shiny armor was covered with a ding, a scratch, or a scuff. His face was plastered with numerous cuts and bruises. A thin trickle of blood dripped from his lower lip. His overall expression showed that he was determined, yet incredibly exhausted. He grumbled his answer beneath gritted teeth:

_"I…won't…let…you…ever…TAKE HER!" _

Dipper turned to Wendy one last time before focusing his attention on Robbie. His knees began to buckle as the pressure on his hands increased. He knew that he couldn't hold the gothic traitor at bay forever. There was only one way out of this standstill – one sure way to prevent him from hurting Wendy. Dipper took a deep gulp, knowing that this next course of action was going to hurt…_a lot._

Thinking solely of the survival of his favorite lumberjack, Dipper pulled the sword down as Robbie pushed forward. The tip of the blade pierced through the child's chest, plowing through his body until it reached through the other end. A crinkling sound filled the shadowy heavens, similar in nature to one stepping on an aluminum can.

"DIPPER!" Wendy screamed at the top of her lungs as she witnessed the fate of her devotee first hand. Robbie's merriment increased as he hauled the extra-long dagger back up, elevating Dipper off of his feet, dragging him excruciatingly into the air.

"AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"That sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach…" Robbie asked as he curved his head to see the sight from every possible angle, "That isn't the edge of my sword; it is my gift to you for all that you have done to me – _I give you despair!_

He rotated the handle of the katana, boring it deeper into Dipper's insides. The thirteen-year-old whimpered at every twist of the blade.

"Hmm…" Robbie quizzed, "I can feel all of this cold, nasty metal, but when will I reach your squishy innards?"

"STOP!" Wendy reached out to put an end to the madness. But with her suit's energy levels barely halfway filled, she was unable to mount any sort of rescue. "Just…stop…"

Robbie looked past Dipper towards her, _"I will never stop! Not until I hold his metal spine in my hand and use it as my walking stick! This is justice! My long-awaited, well-deserved justice! What he is feeling right now is nothing compared to all of the suffering he caused me!"_

After a brief silence, Robbie recomposed his calm nature, "But don't you worry. You'll get your turn after I finish with him!"

"No…."

The goth followed the protest back to the fallen body dangling at the end of his weapon. Dipper raised his head and stared at his enemy with his lit-up blue eyes.

"No!"

A sapphire ambience surrounded his entire being as Robbie felt the other end of the sword being yanked downwards. Dipper's boots made their way back to the earth. With both arms, the smallest teen griped his side as the aspiring words of the kindly old doctor rang in his ears:

_"His greatest weapon was none other than his heart; all great heroes are led through what lies in their heart…" _

With the tip of the sword still embedded in him, Dipper lugged his side, and shortly after, Robbie found himself hanging in mid-air.

"This…This is impossible! I took all of your hope! Where is all this strength coming from?!"

"NOOOOOO!"

Dipper lobbed Robbie from the blade with a single thrust, sending the blacken form flying over the nearby rooftops. Going hand over hand, he removed the sword from his center as the blue covering faded away. Freed from his ordeal, Dipper dropped to his knees before falling back onto the ground.

"DIPPER!" Wendy crept to her defender's side. She lightly slapped his cheek, hoping to get any kind of response, "Are you okay?! Say something!"

The boy gaped blankly at the heavens. His eyes opened wide, they twitched back and forth between his artificial blue coloring and the natural brown that Wendy instantly recalled as his own, reminding her of a broken headlight.

His breathing was shallow and heavy, growing weaker with every passing moment. Suddenly, they stopped. Dipper started making a gasping, almost obstructed-like sound, like he had caught a case of the hiccups.

_"Oh, man! Oh, man! Oh, man!"_ Wendy dreaded, "He's not breathing! I think he stopped breathing!" She tried to watch his chest to see if it was rising. The metal suit clinging to his skin blocked any details of the human being beneath it. The same went when Wendy attempted to check for a pulse; Dipper's neck and wrists were covered by the heavy material.

"Ugh! What to do? What to do?" The high-schooler flashed back on her Health Classes. She was trained on how to handle such a crisis.

Her mind switched to chest compressions, but she figured that she wouldn't have a chance at making a dent through his titanium breastplate. There was one other option. Forcing herself into a kneeling position, Wendy slanted over Dipper's head. Using a mother's touch, she tilted his head back and pinched his nostrils shut. Pushing her long red hair behind her, Wendy made a seal over Dipper's mouth and began to blow into his body.

"ZAP!"

"Bah!" Wendy was thrown back as she was electrocuted by Dipper's touch. As the current died away from her lips, her eyes became focused on the wound Robbie issued. Wendy peered inside of the deep cut and was struck speechless of what lied within.

Numerous gears and pistons worked endlessly in perfect junction. Brightly-colored circuitry flashed and blinked incessantly. In lieu of blood, huge amounts of oil and grease dripped from the cut. _There wasn't a hint of humanity to be found._

Wendy looked back at her rescuer sprawled out over the ground as she couldn't help but to think of his doppelganger. _"Is – Is he even human anymore?!"_

She considered the story of the strange old man Dipper had left at the Mystery Shack. He claimed that Dipper selflessly went into the treacherous world – volunteering to let this thing bond to him – in search of her.

Tears gathered in her emerald eyes as she scooped him up in her lap. "Dipper, you dummy…_my poor little dummy_…what did you do? _What did you do to yourself?"_

Cradling him in her lap, Wendy ran her hand affectingly through his thick hair as she made a vow, "Don't worry, buddy! I'll – I'll find a way to get some help! Maybe that old geezer you left at the Shack could fix ya up. You just have to hang on for me, okay?"

From out of the blue, Dipper's hand reached out and seized her by the wrist, making Wendy gasp loudly.

"…Wait…"

"Dipper! You're okay!"

His voice deepened, as it sounded like something was filling his lungs, "Wendy, I – I need to tell you something…"

Wendy wouldn't hear of it, "Whatever it is, it can wait. Just relax…"

"Please, Wendy…" Dipper countered, "Especially if this is really –" He coughed up a blend of black liquid and phlegm, "You really need to listen…"

She rubbed his head again, "Don't talk like that, Dip! We're going to make it out of this!

"Wendy…_I'm sorry!"_

The ginger found herself unprepared for that answer, "W-What?"

With a little strain, he looked up to see her eye-to-eye, _"I'm sorry for everything. At first, I…I didn't get it, but I understand now. That night, at Lookout Point, I didn't know what to think. I honestly thought Robbie was planning to doing something terrible to you! But, it doesn't excuse what I did, Wendy! As the night went on, I lost sight on why I was doing all of this. It became more about stopping Robbie than about worrying about you!"_

Dipper sighed as he carried on with admitting his guilt, _"And when everything was said and done, I ended up letting you down when you needed me the most. I hurt you more than Robbie ever could, and for that, I'm so sorry! And I didn't mean what I said at the Shack! You ARE my best friend! You're more than my best friend! And nothing will ever change that, even if you still hate me for it, Wendy; even if you never forgive me for it!"_

After hearing his confession, Wendy took the blue hand from her wrist and held it within hers as teardrops flowed down both sides of her freckled face. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on the inconsolable female – _it took the literal end of the world in order for her wish to be granted._

Dipper opened his eyes wider. He could sense that energy was being returned to his decimated body. "But how?" He followed his numbed arm upwards, and saw it ending inside Wendy's hand. He leaned back as tranquility returned to his soul.

The peace between the two ended as quickly as it began as Wendy felt something yank Dipper out of her reach. He lifted his shoulders as he seen that Robbie had returned with sword in hand. The goth towed the by the booted ankle, "Sorry to interrupt that touching scene, but we haven't finished playing yet!"

As he was dragged behind the determined villain, Dipper could hear Wendy shout from the distance, "What more do you want? Can't you see he's no match for you?!"

Dipper closed his eyes and sarcastically thought, _"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Wendy!"_

**"WEAPON GET – UXPEOHVULGLFXORXVOBPDVVLYHFRPER – DATA ERROR!"**

"Not this again! What are you trying to tell me –?"

He stopped, reflecting on the last few instances: the sudden power surge as he came clean with Wendy; the scrambled message that kept repeating itself ever seen his battle with Rumble McSkirmish. The words of the Fight Fighter repeated over and over in his sub consciousness:

_"Only the girl has the amount of energy needed to give Rumble the edge to vanquish the evil one and save our worlds!"_

Everything started to make sense. One final plan came together in the throes of his mind. Hopefully, he would be able to pull it off.

"Robbie…Robbie, wait! You win!"

"Hmm?" the living nightmare stopped in his tracks.

"You're right, Robbie," Dipper led on. "I am no better than you! I deserve everything you have done to me, and more!" He stretched out an arm as a sign of compassion, trying his best to sound like he was groveling, "But please, Robbie, I beg you! Grant me enough mercy to let me die in Wendy's arms!"

Robbie thought about the request for a moment. "You know, kid? Just to show you that _we're_ not all bad, I'll give you that!" Still holding on to Dipper by his foot, his oppressor tossed him back towards Wendy. Without a second thought, she dove towards him, acting as a human shield as Dipper had for her earlier.

"Wendy…" Dipper whispered in her ear, "Give me your hand."

The redhead snuggled her hand into his open palm, "It's okay, dude. Not gonna lie; I'm kind of scared, too…"

"What?! No! Just – Just wait and see…"

The warming sensation swiftly returned, creating an almost-healing effect on his tattered shape.

"I have to be careful…" Dipper noted. "I can't take too much as it'll hinder Wendy's recovery, but I need just enough to get my weapons system back online…"

Robbie stood before them with his katana drawn, "I have to hand it to you, Dipper. This is much better! Now, I can finish you both off in one fell swoop! But since we're all being honest, I'll admit when I've been beaten. Even at the end of it all, you still managed to steal Wendy's heart."

"Maybe…" Dipper replied, ready to throw his plan into action, "But it wasn't her heart I was after…"

"Oh, really?!" Robbie dropped his defenses and leered his head towards the two cuddled together, "Then, what was it that you were after?"

Dipper held up his and Wendy's hands entwined together before raising his Mega Buster to Robbie's face. _"Her power!"_

*KA-BLAM!*

He fired Wendy's hyper beam directly into Robbie's smirking mug; the impact pushed him away as he swung his blade blindly. "My eyes! I can't see! You little – "

As Robbie cursed and swore vividly, Dipper rose up and activated the alien programming that he obtained from Rumble. Using the last of the borrowed energy, the coding took control of Dipper's body, sending him blaring after Robbie. Before the goth could recover, Dipper's fists, moving of their own accord, started to incessantly pummel the stunned elder teen in the bread basket. A deep voice not his own bellowed as he flashed red and blue repeatedly:

_"Super-Power-Ninja-Turbo-Neo-Ultra-Hyper-Mega-Multi-Alpha-Meta-Extra-Uber-Prefix Combo!"_

The world turned entirely pitch black, save for a tiny blue speck shining on the ground.

*KA-BOOOOOOOOM!*

All three adolescents found themselves swathed in a giant, blue-fist-shaped mushroom cloud. When the smoke cleared, Dipper stood victorious with his fists placed on his hips. A breathless Robbie was stooped down before him, forced to one knee, and using the Dark Sword planted into the ground as a support.

"You dare…" he breathed, "You dare strike me in such a fashion? Don't…Don't think for a second that you've won – GAH!"

A torrent of multi-colored plasma came from behind Dipper's right shoulder and struck Robbie, sending him further into the distance. Dipper turned around to see a fully-recovered Wendy making her way to his side.

"Sorry that I was late to the party, Dipper!" She gave him a toothy smile while maintaining her stream of fire. "Ditto goes for taking first dibs, but I definitely owed him one!" She held out her open hand to her smaller charge, welcoming him into the fray.

Dipper nodded as he returned the grin. He placed his hand back into hers; their fingers interweaving together in ideal symmetry – an unbreakable bond that had been challenged by time and space itself. Walking hand-in-hand, their energies siphoned back and forth between the two bodies in an everlasting loop. Dipper opened fire on Robbie's collapsed state, sending him flying back moreso.

Wendy and Dipper continued onwards, combining their hyper beams to create a wider and stronger plasma wave. The enemy contained within was tossed down the street, unable to make it back to his feet. A purple reaction appeared within the torrent, belching a tall, stringy object out of the line of fire.

Drenched in violet-colored slime, Robbie V. lingered on his hands and knees as he coughed out the remnants of the poison that had corrupted his body and mind.

His ex-girlfriend was the first to notice the sudden change. "There!" she motioned her head in his direction. "The monster's let go of Robbie! Focus everything you got on it!"

"Uh…" Dipper doubted, "This may sound crazy, but shouldn't we blast him, too?" Wendy pinched his hand tighter as she slowly turned her head and narrowed her green eyes at her miniature friend. Dipper could feel her glance burning through him as he put up a sheepish expression, "What? I'm just saying, why take a chance?"

"DIPPER!" she chastised.

"Okay! Okay! Fine!" He followed her commands and upheld his end of the attack, helping Wendy drive the shapeless blob down the road.

"Hey, dork?" Wendy inquired, "You got any idea on what we can do with this guy?"

His eyes scanned around for an answer. His brow rose as he noticed their current location, "Wendy! We're near the Arcade!"

"So what?!"

"So we can try to force this thing back through the way it came! Maybe it'll stop of all of this once and for all!"

"Sounds like a plan, kid!" Wendy went along in agreement, "Just let me know what you need!"

They prolonged their grip on the dangerous essence until it was pinned just outside of the still-glowing business. Dipper broke away from Wendy and ran to the other side, lining himself up with the Arcade's entrance.

"WENDY! NOW!"

She turned away as Dipper resumed his blasting. The Emperor was shoved back towards the plum aura. The monster started to fight against the current, until Wendy rejoined him and restarted her assault. The combined beams of the duo lobbed the splotch straight into the barrier. It stretched and thrashed wildly in an effort to break free of its hold.

Wendy looked down at the mastermind standing at chest-level, "So, now what?"

Dipper began to change his weaponry, "You got anything explosive in your set?"

"Huh…" Wendy's lips curled into a simper, "I think I have something in mind…"

He went first, throwing his arm blaster towards the nearly-imprisoned entity, "CRASH BOMBER!" Dipper injected the malting dribble with as many of the drill-shaped bombs as his body could produce.

_"You might have won the day…"_ the Emperor roared.

Meanwhile, Wendy charged a shot in her blaster. But instead of issuing a laser, she entered her rolled-up Morph Ball mode (which still creeped Dipper out) and ejected one of her pellet-like bombs. Unlike the previous twinkling silver balls he had encounter earlier, a larger sparkling white and red sphere laid at Wendy's feet as she transformed back to her former state.

_"But may you carry this for the rest of your days…"_

As if the item were a hacky sack, Wendy used the toe of her boot to move the piece into the air. She banged it against her knee, before delivering a heavy kick that sent it soaring into the purple mess. Dipper shouted over the ranting gaming demon, "Set it off in 3…2…1…"

_"You two will forever be your own worst enemies!"_

"GO!" The duo activated their detonators at the same time.

*KA-BOOM!*

With an incredible, almost catastrophic explosion, the Arcade was instantaneously engulfed in a ball of fire. Unexpectedly, the world around the companions immediately froze up as a magnificent shock wave shot off throughout Gravity Falls, knocking Dipper and Wendy off of their feet.

Greatly fatigued, they simply rested on the ground, hoping to regain their lost breaths. Dipper opened his eyes and turned to his right. His body no longer felt heavy or tired. Across the way, he spotted Wendy lying peacefully on the grass near the sidewalk. Her suit had vanished, being replaced with her trademark lumberjack gear.

"Wait a sec-"

Dipper held a hand over his face. The thick blue gloves that had helped protect him throughout his adventure were on gone. He sat up and examined the rest of his body. The indigo suit fell into memory, as he was now wearing his usual combo of an orange shirt, blue vest, and gray short pants. He wiggled his sneakered covered feet, noting than the bulkiness of his oversized boots had disappeared.

The boy patted the spot where he was stabbed during the fight, only to discover that it no longer existed. He felt around to find that none of the injuries that had occurred during his numerous battles remained; he was in perfect health!

Looking around the neighborhood, Dipper noticed that all of the damage done to the quaint mountain town had been rebuilt. He spotted people – _real living people_ – walking down the street, conversing with one another as they went about on their way.

"Wendy!" With a newfound excitement, Dipper got up and ran over to where his gingered sweetheart lied. He dropped to his knees and rubbed her plaid shoulder, "Wendy! Look!"

She opened her eyes; the sun's rays made them flicker, "D-Dipper?" The last few minutes sprung to mind, "Wait! What happened?! Did we stop him?!"

Dipper pulled his arm back to highlight their world, "See for yourself!" He helped her back to her feet as she surveyed every last detail of her hometown.

"It's all here! The places! The landmarks! The people!" Wendy looked downwards to see that she, too, had physically returned to her own self. "It's back to normal!"

She took her friend by his hands, and together, they joyfully danced around in a circle – their personal "Ring Around the Rosie" – as they celebrated their hard-earned victory!

"WE DID IT! WE DID IT! WE DID IT! WE DID IT!"

They stopped as dizziness set in, their stomachs erupting with laughter, as they noticed something off.

"Dipper, look at that!" Wendy pointed.

The only change in the world around them was the conditioning of the Arcade. Every window had been blown out. Its walls were charred black. A sour, yet burnt smell filled the air.

"Remarkable…truly remarkable…"

"Hey…" she nudged his side, "You wanna go check it out?"

Before Wendy had a chance to go forward, Dipper nervously clutched her arm, remembering the initial kidnapping that triggered these events, "Um…_let's not_, especially after everything's that happened…"

"Fair enough…" she perished the thought, seeing how deeply her partner in crime felt about it.

"Ugh…my head!"

Wendy and Dipper spun around on their heels and found the source of the voice. Across the street, Robbie. V. stood up and brushed himself off. He looked forward and saw the pair following his every move. Not wanting to take chances, Dipper stood bravely in front of Wendy. She placed her hands on the overprotective sleuth's shoulder as a sign of moral support.

"Wendy! Kid! I – "

The three stood silently for several seconds as a sadden, yet embarrassed expression spread across the goth's face. Without saying another word, he slinked into the darkness of the nearby foliage, leaving the other two teenagers to rejoice in serenity.

Dipper and Wendy hugged each other as their reunion continued.

"I still can't believe it!"

"It's finally over!"

As they tightened their embrace, an unknown emptiness entered their hearts as they heard the final words of their bested enemy:

_"You two will forever be your own worst enemies!"_

They pulled away as the feelings of doubt and betrayal returned, as they were reminded of all of the pain and sadness they had caused each other before the calamity even began. _Not everything had been magically repaired._

"Dipper," Wendy looked away from her little buddy with a hint of sadness as she anxiously itched her arm, "What do we do now?"

Ashamed, he set his sights to the ground, unable to find the courage to look his crush in the eye.

"I – I don't know…"

The final leftover of the gaming universe, a discarded, cracked blue helmet, sat in the grass as it was bathed in the afternoon's passing light. It started to pixelate from this world into the next, as its purpose had ultimately been served…


	18. Epilogue

_"__They say it's what you make.  
>I say it's up to fate.<br>It's woven in my soul.  
>I need to let you go.<br>Your eyes, they shine so bright.  
>I wanna save that light.<br>I can't escape this now,  
>unless you show me how!"<em>

"Demons," by Imagine Dragons

**Epilogue – A New Beginning**

At long last, Dipper Pines had accomplished the near impossible. He had succeeded at stopping the wicked designs of the gaming universe for a second time, saving the population of Gravity Falls (and perhaps, the entire planet) from an eternity of digital captivity. Peace and solitude had returned to the quiet mountain town as soon as he (and his redheaded crush) had ejected the wicked Emperor of Darkness from reality, restoring the status quo.

But to him_, in his own personal world_, his greatest achievement was none other than being on speaking terms in his secret teenaged love, Wendy Corduroy. It was only through their working together that they were able to keep the wicked forces at bay and prevent them from overtaking their beloved home.

However, as he was expelled from Earth, the evil force offered one final parting gift – a brief reminder that despite having caused the chaos between them, _they alone_ were guilty of tossing trust and faith to the side, using personal faults and insecurities to take cheap shots and wound one another in a dual betrayal. The monster may have set Wendy and Dipper up, but _it was their own actions_ that led to the broken bond between them.

Upon making this realization, their blissful reunion was brought to a screeching halt. An uneasy silence filled the scene as they found themselves dumbfounded on where to go from there. So, when Wendy was the first to break the silence; when she asked for a favor, the shorten thirteen-year-old jumped to the task, ready to move heaven and earth in order to try to put all of the ugliness behind them.

_"Time"_ was what the lumberjack requested of him. "Time" to clear her head and think about their incredible experience. "Time" to reflect on all of the craziness that she had been unwillingly tossed into it and how she had to find her own way to get past it. As much as made him uneasy to hear this kind of talk, Dipper nodded in agreement, as he only wanted what was best for his sweetheart. If he cared for Wendy as much as he claimed, he would have to try to consider her wants and feelings even before his own – _this_ was the lesson that he was taught while on his journey, and the boy had no intention on forgetting it so easily.

After an exchange of half-smiles and small waves good-bye, the two parted ways. Wendy headed back towards her family's cabin as Dipper walked through town to get to the Mystery Shack. Despite the questionable emptiness in his being, he couldn't help but be amazed by how everything in Downtown Gravity Falls went back to its rightful order. It was only a few hours before where that exact spot that been ground zero for a literal battlefield, and yet, it appeared that the townsfolk were none the wiser.

Even as Dipper continued on his way, the friendly locals that offered random "Hello's" seemed not to have a clue that they were two-dimensional repeating cutouts minutes before. Usually, Dipper's interests would be perked by such an interesting fact, and he would want to explore every little detail relating to it.

But after everything that had happened today; after being tested to his full physical and mental limits, and having it all end with a huge question mark in his being, the drained sleuth wanted nothing more than to go home and sulk in bed.

Finally reaching his Great-Uncle's home, Dipper decided to use the Gift Shop entrance to assure that his family had been restored to their human states. The bell hanging over the door frame rang as he opened the door.

"Dipper!"

He looked to his left to see that his twin sister Mabel sitting at the cash register in wait of any unfortunate sightseer that would happen to stumble upon the tourist trap. Her pet pig Waddles lied asleep in a ball alongside of the edge of the counter.

"What happened?!"

He was taken aback by her answer. Did Mabel remember what had happened to her earlier? A sense of guilt overcame him as he had to imagine her fate – an energetic bolt of energy confined within a non-moving, nearly lifeless form.

"W-What happened? What do you mean?"

She hopped off her stool and ran to the other side of the counter, "I mean what happened with Wendy? A-Doy! Where you able to find her after she ran off?"

_"Mabel doesn't remember any of it! She thinks the last thing that happened was when Wendy and I were fighting…"_

Dipper lowered his head as he was reminded of that sense of uncertainty lingering in his soul. He went on towards the living room, "Yeah…I found her…"

As he held the swinging door open with his hand, Mabel questioned him further, "Were you able to make things right with her?"

He stopped in his tracks. "Yes…no…I – I don't know…"

Without saying another word, Dipper walked through the entryway and started up the rickety stairs leading to his attic-converted bedroom.

*SLAM!*

Mabel gave chase after her brother, "Dipper! Dipper, wait!"

He looked over his shoulder, "No offense, Mabel, but I'm tired and I don't wanna talk about Wendy anymore – "

"No, it's not about that!" She reached into the pockets of her sweater and pulled out what appeared to be a crumpled piece of paper, "I might have misread it, but I think _a light bulb_ wrote you a letter!"

"What?!" Dipper took the sheet from his sibling as he went back up the stairs. Mabel shrug at the oddity and promptly returned to her post in the Gift Shop. The detective walked into his room and sat on his bed as he reread the handwritten cursive note incessantly:

_"Dipper, _

_If my calculations are correct, I will have been transported back to my reality by the time you read this letter. While I am saddened by the fact that I will not be able to do so personally, I wanted to wish you congratulations on a job well done!_

_You should be extremely proud of your efforts to restore the natural balance between the cosmos. There are not many individuals in any universe that possess the same traits of courage and determination that you demonstrated today. I speak for my son when I say that he would thank you for the integrity and honor you had brought to his mantle. _

_Always remember, Dipper that it is due to the involvement of people like you that keep our worlds spinning. Without them, they would turn into dark and desperate places dominated by such an evil as that you encountered. If you were ever give up fighting that good fight for everlasting peace, I'd fear that the world would lose one of its best sources of hope._

_I say such a thing not just towards the commonwealth, but as a reflection of your personal life as well. Especially after I had the privilege of meeting your female companion, I am more than certain of what I told you earlier. As long as you put your faith in love, trust, and patience, there will no problem that you two cannot overcome together._

_While it is important to consider that things may not be perfect, never let that prevent you from doing what you can, for to the world, it will mean just as much…_

_ Sincerely yours,  
>Dr. T. Light,<br>July 200X"_

"Light, huh?"

Dipper slipped off his sneakers and lied in bed as he mulled over the newfound name of the friend that had disappeared along with the rest of the gaming universe. He chuckled at the biting wit of it all; seeing as how the elderly man seemed to always have the answer to the problems found during his darkest hours.

Folding the memo back up, he reached over and slid it between the pages of his protected Journal #3 for safe keeping. Dipper turned over and looked at his nightstand. An empty, broken picture frame stared back at him, making him think of the cherished picture of Wendy and himself that was stolen by the wicked clones.

Depressed, he let out a dejected sigh and threw himself face-first into his pillow as he drifted off to sleep…

* * *

><p>A couple of days had passed, and Dipper was true to his word. Rather than creeping around every corner in wait for Wendy's response, he kept himself preoccupied with his exploring and research, letting the fifteen-year-old attend to her cashier duties in peace. Even though it was on different terms, Dipper felt as he did at the beginning of his journey: on edge for an answer he wasn't even sure he was going to receive.<p>

As night would fall, and Wendy would go home for the night, Dipper would creep down to the living room to watch television with his sister and "Grunkle." As the latter two would rib each other and laugh at the spectacles displayed on-screen, they paid little to no heed to the silent bundle of nerves sitting at the edge of Stan's recliner.

Dipper would toss and turn in bed the remainder of the night, only to be up by the crack of dawn. This seemingly endless cycle would repeat over and over until one day…

*THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!*

Dipper was jolted awake by a loud noise coming from overhead. Still in a daze, he lowered his head back into his pillow in hopes of gaining a few extra hours of precious sleep.

*THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!*

"Jah!" The lad jumped up as more thunderous sounds stemmed from the roof. He watched as the sun rose in the distance above the tree tops of the Gravity Falls Forest, pass the see-through window. At first, he chalked the clamor to being a flock of birds or something along those lines, but after hearing it a second time, Dipper realized that whatever was up there was a lot heavier than he had thought.

"It's too early for this stuff!"

Dipper dug into the narrow crevice between the wall and his bed and pulled out his trusty aluminum baseball bat. He kept the weapon at close range in case his adopted home was ever attacked by one of the random creatures that occupied the nether regions of the mountain town.

Stepping into his sneakers, Dipper softly opened the window, taking care not to wake his slumbering twin (with pig cradled in her arms) and stepped on the ledge. He recalled his sword fight with the living wax model of Sherlock Holmes as he made his way up to the rooftop. Gripping his bat tightly, Dipper tip-toed on the flatten surface as he raised his arms over his head, ready to pounce on whatever had attempted to invade his house. He immediately lowered his stance upon learning the identity of the intruder.

Wendy sat at the other side of the rooftop with her back to him. Her arms placed behind her for balance, she freely dangled her booted feet over the edge as she gazed out into the distance. Seeing this, Dipper backed away, not wishing to neither disturb his main squeeze nor violate her request for personal space. He went back to climb down the ridge to go back downstairs.

"Hey there…"

Dipper froze and gulped. He raised his head to see Wendy twisting behind her and looking straight at him. Stuttering wildly, Dipper tried his best to explain himself, "H-H-Hey! I mean, it isn't what it looks like! I – I didn't know you were up here! I'll leave you be. I'm – I'm just going to go back down and –"

"Come sit with me…" Wendy patted the spot next to her with her left hand.

After a moment of hesitation, Dipper walked along the narrow path and joined her at the rim of the rooftop. They parked themselves in front of the dawn, left unsure on where exactly to begin.

Wendy raised an eyebrow, "Dude, what's with the bat?"

Dipper gazed down at the weapon in his arms, "Oh, this?" He shamefacedly dropped it onto the side, "I thought maybe one of those monsters escaped and made it back here…"

"Can't blame ya for that, especially after everything that has happened over the last few days…"

"Tell me about it…"

"Sorry about waking you though. It's just that you guys get to have a better view of the sunrise. My house is blocked off by all the trees so you can barely see a thing. I dunno, it...it just helps chill me out when I'm stressed. I know that sounds lame..."

"It doesn't," Dipper concurred, realizing how little he had seen the sun throughout their whole ordeal, "It really is beautiful, isn't it?"

He kicked his legs, only to have one of his feet brush up against Wendy's. They both blushed as she pulled away and crossed her ankles.

"So, how are you - ?" Each teenager asked the question at the same time, making them stop for a split second. Dipper went first, "I've been really tired lately…" He thought to himself, _"…and kinda lonely…"_

"I know, right?" Wendy chirped, "I mean, my body feels fine, but my head's always racing, like I have a mad case of jet lag!"

Dipper chuckled at her excited expression, "It's funny when you think about it." He swiped his hand towards the direction of town, "All those people will never know how close they came to oblivion. Or what really happened out there..."

"That's okay. _It'll be like a secret that only you and I can share._"

The young adult smirked at her reply before spinning towards Wendy, "You haven't seen anyone who remembers what really happened, did you?"

"Nah…" she shook her head, "Even Robbie seemed to forget the whole thing…"

"Good…" Dipper's eyes widened, "WAIT?! ROBBIE?! You mean he went after you again?!"

Wendy placed a gentle hand against his back, "Relax, slugger. It's not what you think. Yesterday, he spent the entire day outside of my house, singing about how sorry he was for everything that happened at Lookout Point."

"Oh, man…"

"No worries! The best part was when my dad got fed up with all of the racket and went outside. I swear, Dipper, he took Robbie and punted him like a football into the woods! I honestly think that purple guy might have fried his mind!"

Dipper crossed his arms and scoffed, "Yeah, that would seem awfully convenient, wouldn't it?" He had heard the exact same sob story before.

Wendy gave her buddy a soft love tap on the shoulder, "Now, don't you start! Besides, he made his own bed, and now he can lie in it!" The copper-headed girl rolled her green eyes as she changed the subject, "But back to what you were saying, the only place that stayed messed up was the Arcade!"

"Wendy…" A lump formed in Dipper's throat, "You didn't go back there, did you?"

"Nope!" She smiled, holding up her hand in a form of pledge, remembering how uneasy the thought made her little guy, "I heard about it from the boys whose dad owns the place! They think it was an electrical fire that did the place in! They told me that _every arcade game was blown out!_ I kinda feel bad since they just got done replacing a ton of stuff after _what happened with us last time…"_

"Yeah…" Dipper stopped as he became aware of what Wendy was saying. _"This is the first time she openly talked about all that stuff with Rumble!"_

Tempting the fates, Dipper twiddled his fingers as he inquired further, "Do you mind if I ask you a question about…_that_?"

"Shoot…"

"Do you remember anything from then?"

Wendy sat back and closed her eyes, "I remember…_flashes_…different images and scenes that don't really make sense put together. Like I know I set everything up for your birthday and us teasing each other while we played video games…" Her expression became somewhat sad, "But then, I saw that one-eyed guy leaping out of the machine to grab me…and you being shocked as you tried to pull me out…."

Dipper followed her every word as Wendy went into greater detail, "Then, all I see are a bunch of random things: _you fighting a giant dragon/turtle thing as I'm surrounded by ugly turtle guards; me trapped in a mirror while you walked around a haunted house with a hideous mask stuck to your face; Robbie pounding on you while making me watch, tied to the roof of some oriental palace._ Just a bunch of crazy stuff like that…"

Her friend felt bad for bringing up the subject. Never once did he consider the adventure from her point of view, which based on her descriptions, sounded like a truly frightening experience. While part of him regretted that Wendy might have forgotten _certain special moments that happened between them, _he figured after hearing her side of the story, perhaps it was for the best.

"I'm sorry…" Dipper looked away from her, "I shouldn't have asked…"

"Don't be." She placed her tiny hand on his shoulder, "Despite all of the craziness, there was something that I know I'll never forget…"

"And what's that?"

She lowered her head, "_That no matter what type of trouble I found myself in, I knew you were there, trying your best to get me out of it!"_

Dipper lightly smiled at her statement, before the seriousness of the moment took hold once again.

"Was there…anything else that's been on your mind lately?"

Her light-heartedness changed as she knew what Dipper was referring to.

"Actually, a bunch of stuff…"

"Like…_us?"_

Wendy exhaled, "Yeah, kiddo. To be honest, _that thought_ never really left my mind.

Dipper's heart pounded like it was about to leap out of his chest, "So…what did you decide?"

Her emerald eyes turned stern, "It's not really a matter of "deciding," Dipper. It's more like trying to find a way to fix everything. But I haven't been able to think of a way…"

"B-But," Dipper protested, "I said I was sorry! Does – Doesn't that count for anything?!"

"I know, dork. I'm sorry, too, and yes, it does count for something, but I can't get what that guy said to us out of my head! He was right, Dipper! _If we were as close as we thought, why couldn't we see that something was wrong? _ Even with those clone-things trying to kill us, we should have known that things weren't right. _But we didn't; we didn't because we were too angry and hurt to notice what was happening around us…"_

As much as it pained Dipper to remain hushed, he simply couldn't argue with Wendy's reasoning. He offered the only response he could think of: "So, what do we do now?"

Wendy glanced away from Dipper. Her long, red hair swung about and blocked part of her freckled face. _"There's only one thing we can do…"_

Dipper was struck by her words, and yet understood her intentions. There was only so much a relationship – _rather it be friendship, romantic, or somewhere in between_ – could take before being beyond repair. Rather than letting his emotions take control of the situation, he decided to scrape what little dignity he had left off the floor and take his leave.

"I –I get it…I get it…" Dipper stood up.

"Dipper, wait a second!"

He rotated towards the exit leading back to the attic. Looking down at her, Dipper spoke from his heart, "Despite how it ended up, I just wanted to say thanks for everything you've done…"

"Dipper! Hang on –"

"I really mean it. You probably made this the best summer I ever had…" He walked away, whispering under his breath, "_I'm really gonna miss you…" _

His worst fear had come true: he was now just like Robbie and all of her other ex-boyfriends - a soon to be forgotten name in her phone's contacts list that would be hastily ignored from now on.

As he went to leave, a hand snagged his wrist. He seen that Wendy had reached out and taken a hold of him, "Jeez, Dipper! At least let a girl finish her sentence, won't ya?!"

Wendy led him towards her and sat him right to her again. The embarrassed teen studied her movements as the ginger struggled to help put her feelings into words. "How can I explain?" She bit her lip and kicked her heel against the roof in frustration.

Suddenly, her green eyes lit up. Excitedly, Wendy reached into her flannel and pulled out what appeared to be a folded slip. With a warming grin, she placed her other arm around Dipper's back as she offered the article up to him, "Maybe this will do more than anything I could probably say…"

Dipper took the sheet and unfurled it. At first glance, he recognized the image. The little hero closed his eyes, in hopes that his crush wouldn't see him tearing up.

"Oh…Oh, Wendy…"

He held in his hands _the once-missing – once-destroyed photograph of Wendy and him, slumbering peacefully in each other's arms; the very same that his sister had taken with her trusty instant camera at the end of their first adventure in the digital world. _

With part of him in disbelief, Dipper ran his fingertips against the front of the photo. He could feel the immeasurable amount of bumps and tears along the imagery. Growing curious, he turned the snapshot over to see the truth behind its miraculous reappearance; _it had been painstakingly reassembled and taped back together piece by piece to absolute perfection._

Wendy gave an explanation as Dipper analyzed the memento closer, "When you first mentioned it in the Shack the other day, I'll admit I got freaked out and jumped to the wrong conclusion. But when I went to the lake, I found dozens and dozens of pieces of colored papers in one of the boats out on the water. I thought about what you said and my curiosity got the best of me, so I scooped up every part and carried it along with me throughout the whole ordeal.

Dipper looked at her, full of adoration as she continued her story, _"Y'know, it's funny now that I think about it. It was like building a puzzle. When I started to try to put it back together, I couldn't do it. Sections kept getting mixed up or lost. I was getting nowhere going piece by piece, Dipper! I was still close to giving up and tossing everything in the garbage. But, I thought of you, and decided to give it one last shot._

_This time, I tried something different; I used another method. Instead of sorting my way through random pieces, hoping to find a match, I started to make layers. The outer background was first, so I'd have someplace to build from. After setting the foundation, things went a lot more smoothly. It made it a lot easier to fill in the rest of the center. Before I knew it, I put the last piece in, and things suddenly became clearer and made more sense._

Dipper was left astounded by what he just heard, knowing that there was more meaning behind Wendy's words than she let on.

Very carefully, she tilted the photograph in his hands upwards so she could see the fruit of her labor, "I was wrong about this thing, Dipper. It's not creepy in the slightest; _it's adorable_. I can see why you were so hurt when you thought it was gone forever…"

"Yeah…"

She placed her hand on top of his, _"We might not be able to savage everything that was broken or lost, but it doesn't mean we can't start fresh and try again…"_

He looked up in confusion, "Try again? I don't understand?"

Wendy removed her hand and re-presented it openly, "Welcome to Gravity Falls! You're Stan's great-nephew, right? I'm Wendy Corduroy; I work the cash register when the old geezer feels too lazy to do so…"

Dipper gave her a blank stare, "Wendy? What are you doing?"

The young woman raised her hand higher as she went on with her charade, "What's the matter, kid? You not big on shaking someone's hand when they offer it to you? Or are you just super-shy?" She raised and lowered her eyebrows, signaling for Dipper to follow her lead.

"Oh!"

A second later, Dipper placed his hand into hers, "I'm Dipper…Dipper Pines."

"Nice to meet ya! So, Dipper, huh?" she asked. "Tell me, short stuff, what's with the nickname? Your parents hate you or something?"

They shared a laugh at the joke, just as they did the night of the Mystery Shack Dance.

"Wendy, right?" Dipper played along. "No offense, but this place seems kinda boring. What do you guys do for fun out in the middle of nowhere?"

Wendy proudly pointed a thumb at her chest, "You're looking at the "fun" master, buddy! Stick with me, and we'll get into so much trouble, you won't know what to do with yourself!"

He beamed at her, "I'd like that…_I'd like that a lot_…"

Touched, the taller teen threw an arm behind his back, "You know what, Dipper?" She held her smaller cohort tighter, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship…"

Relieved, Dipper placed a stubby arm across Wendy's backside and lowered his still-weary head on her plaid shoulder, "Same here…"

Together, the two sat arm in arm as the sun made its way over the horizon. After what felt like an eternity, the cloudy overcast that had plagued Gravity Falls vanished into the atmosphere, allowing a new hopeful light onto the world that needed it so…

_(October 31, 2014 – June 11, 2015)_

* * *

><p><strong>Hi! Thanks again for reading this story! And extra kudos for seeing it through to the end!<strong>

**It has been a long time coming, but DBR2 has finally come to its conclusion. I can only hope that you enjoyed reading the story as much as I did writing it. **

**If I may, there are a few things I might need your help with:**

**1.****As with the last DBR, I'm going to do another form of reference guide for this story (after a long vacation to refresh my batteries). So, please, if there's a part in the story you didn't understand, or a scene where the allusion wasn't made clear, please let me know in a review or PM, and I'll make sure to toss it in.**

**2.****This one might seem petty, but regardless if you liked/hated the story, please leave a review letting me know what you thought. This sounds stupid, but the reason I ask is that to me, it goes beyond if it was a good story or not. The original "DBR" was a GF fanbase favorite, and making a sequel was the number one request I had from my readers. After eight months of hard work, my question to you is "was it worth the wait?" Even though DBR2 is a different story by nature, does it compare to the original at all, or do you favor one over the other? Remember, I take any or all advice into consideration, and it might be your voice that influences my future stories.**

**3.****Speaking of, if you have an extra moment, be sure to click on my profile name, and take the survey there. At the bottom of the profile page, I posted a prompt for a future story, and I want you guys/gals to vote if that's something you'd like to read in the future. **

**Again, thank you all for supporting this story. If you really liked it, I can only hope that you'll spread the word about this tale (I'm personally not a tumblr/twitter/etc person, and you'd be surprised how many people write me NOW shocked that there's a DBR2). As I always say, "Dipper's Birthday Rumble" and the other stories are nothing without your voice and help. It is due to your love that they are as popular as they are, and for this, I am forever grateful to you all.**

**Thanks again for everything. Until next time...**


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